Kilbirnie to Fairlie via West Kilbride & Portencross

From Kilbirnie train station head through the town and down the back-road to Dalry entering Dalry from the north, and then taking the bottom orange route westwards towards West Kilbride.

The route to West Kilbride is quiet and good with some real country freshness along the way, and plenty of spots to stop and open that flask of coffee! From WK it's straightforward enough to follow the coastal path around to Portencross and beyond.

A quiet Kilbirnie main street, this late summer Sunday morning, with some old world flavour.

The view across Munnoch Reservoir to Knockewart Hill.

The serene back-road to West Kilbride.

West Kilbride, another quaint little town with some fascinating architecture, old and new.

 

 The coastal path towards Portencross. 

The wonderfully restored Portencross Castle, dating originally from the mid 1300s.

Fishermen on the pier.

And the view across the firth to Arran et al.

From Portencross, the path follows the coastline around to Hunterston Power Station, and then onwards to Fairlie. You can, if you have time, check out Hunterston House and Castle just off the beaten path. But maybe we have taken in too much already today. All that sea air is going to the brain, and I'm dying for a seat on that train back to Glasgow ;)

Route distance: a little less than 20 miles

Time taken: about 4 hours with 3 or 4 stops