The County town of Ayr, in the heart of the Burns Country is a modern, busy shopping centre, attracting many visitors throughout the year the town , the sea -front and its leafy suburbs offer accommodation to suit all. The shopper will find all the usual names in the High Street but it is worth seeking out the privately owned establishments
 
For the visitor we offer a guided tour of the town including some points of historical interest.
To our right in this view is Ayr Harbour. The south side has recently been redeveloped to include Harbour Point.
A good starting point for our tour is the Town Hall, seen here, with its clock tower and steeple, visible on a good day from many view points including Royal Troon Old Course! This fine hall is home to many events throughout the year. Every year it sees the Ayrshire Music Festival a wonderful competition and showcase of young talent, which has survived for over 70 years and has gone from strength to strength over the last few years.
From the traffic lights we can look up the High Street but first we will walk the Sandgate. Just a couple of doors from the Town Hall we find Robbie's Drams with a wide range of wines and spirits.
Beyond, there are several specialist shops, many in the exclusive Queens Court complex, including His Nibs Jewellers and Gift Shop with its range of antique and collectable items, and Lisbeth's nearly new designer wear. More or less opposite Queens Court, we see Lady Cathcart House a historic building incorporating a beautifully appointed maisonette which is available for holiday rental. Beyond Queens Court, visitors will find the main Post Office and the Bus Station. A hard right turn at the roundabout will take the walker into Fort Street where we find the Greenan Gallery, with its range of local artists' work in originals and prints. Straight through the roundabout brings us to the gardens and fine buildings of Wellington Square from where the sea front and Low Green are visible. Looking out over the Low Green and beyond to the shorefront and the Firth of Clyde, is the four star Fairfield House Hotel

Back to the traffic lights and our first stop in the High Street used to be Tartan Corner stocked to justify its name and proud of its service to customers all around the world, but alas now fallen to redevelopment. Moving up the High Street we come to an open area which was the site of the old fish market now marked by a statue of a fisherman. Crossing over from this point we can walk over the cobbled Auld Brig into River Street. Close by, in George Street we find The Wickery offering attractive furniture at attractive prices and a wide range of smaller wicker items. The Auld Brig is thought to have been built in the 15th century to replace a wooden bridge, it was rebuilt and restored in the first decade of this century. The Auld Brig was made famous in Robert Burns poem "The Brigs of Ayr". Famously the Auld Brig mocks the New Brig saying, "I'll be a brig when you're a useless cairn". This was to prove true and the New Bridge had to be replaced in 1878.

Returning to the fish cross and walking a few yards up the High Street we can look up Newmarket Street where there are some interesting shops and eating places. This corner was the site of the laigh tolbooth and in the wall of the existing building there is a statue of William Wallace who was believed to have been a prisoner in the old jail.

A little further up the street on the river side we come to the Kirk Port which leads to the Auld Kirk of Ayr built in the mid 1600's, well worth a visit but not to be confused with the Auld Kirk of Alloway made famous in Burns poem Tam o'Shanter. Back in the High Street we can check our watches by the clock on the Wallace Tower, mentioned in "The Brigs of Ayr" .....
 

The Tam o'Shanter Inn is a little further on. The Tam o'Shanter connection was fostered by the innkeeper, Andrew Glass in the 1850's.This thatched building was at one time a museum commemorating Burns famous poem. Recently it has reverted to its original purpose and is a busy hostelry. A little beyond this point the High Street runs into Alloway Street where we find The Frame Shop offering a quality fast framing service and a wide variety of art work. Continuing up to the top of the town we come to Burns Statue Square and the railway station. From the statue of the bard it is only a few miles to his birthplace at Alloway village.

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