This straightforward stage of the Ayrshire Coastal Path follows the promenade out of Troon before a stroll along sandy Irvine Bay and into Irvine Harbour.
Bog Factor
Sandy beach, tracks and pavement.
Harbour and ferry terminal, Troon.
Troon and Irvine both have regular bus and rail services.
NS310310
Start the route by the entrance to the ferry terminal in Troon, joining the National Cycle Network route 7 cyclepath for a short distance as it heads around North Bay. Leave the cycle path when it turns inland at Barassie and continue along the grass foreshore before dropping down onto the sand and shingle beach. There are high dunes to your right, but enough beach to walk on usually even at higher tides.
Continue along the beach for 2.5km or so until there is a sign in the dunes to the right. You can stay on the beach all the way to the mouth of the River Irvine, but for variety you can head into the dunes at this point. The path winds northwards behind the dunes, with the golf course and then the woods to your right.
After passing a few stands of pine tree the path emerges near a car park. Continue ahead to follow a path just behind the beach and when the path is signed right uphill follow it but also take a few minutes to detour just to the right to see the dragon sculpture atop a high dune.
The path now soon emerges at Irvine Beach Park, a landscaped area of reclaimed industrial land. Head towards the pond and turn left. Keep left at the next junction then right following the Ayrshire Coastal Path signs. Go left at the next junction and then right at a vehicle barrier to pass a tower and bear right to run alongside the Irvine estuary with the car park on your right. Head upriver, passing the remains of the Bridge of Scottish Invention - part of an abandoned millenium project, it once provided pedestrian access to the Big Idea, a museum in the domed building across the river which closed in 2003 and remains empty.
The Ayrshire Coastal Path now heads inland beside the river, heading along Irvine Harbour - Glasgow's seaport until Port Glasgow was constructed in the late 17th Century. There are several cafes and an arts centre, and the Scottish Martime Museum is on the right (it has old boats moored on your left). Leaving the harbour continue straight ahead. The stage ends just before the underpass that links to the railway station, whilst the next stage turns left just before the underpass.
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