When visiting Ayrshire, always try to add a few extra days onto your stay. There are many challenging golf course to play, magnificent castles to explore, beautiful countryside to drink in, and a great deal of history to soak up. No matter how long your vacation here, you will feel as if you should stay longer. There is so much to see and do that you will be exhausted in a few short days if you don’t pace yourself depending on the time available to you. There are so many nice places to stay, the selection can make your head spin. We have listed a few that you may want to experience. Read the full story

If you are a golfer, plan on spending a few days golfing in and around Stevenston. The Scot’s passion for golf means that there are several golf courses available and you won’t have to golf the same course twice, unless you want to.

A scant mile from Stevenston’s town center is the Auchenharvie Golf Course. This nine-hole golf course opened in 1983. It was designed so that it can be played as eighteen holes using different tee off positions on the second time around. A relatively easy course, water features have been well incorporated into it. Read the full story

Scotland holds a treasure trove of history in its many castles, both standing and ruins. Many of these castles were constructed in the 11th and 12th century and Kerelaw Castle is no exception. Unfortunately all that remains of Kerelaw Castle are the ruins.

Stevenston, Scotland is home to Kerelaw Castle, built in the 12th century. The castle has a very turbulent history. First held by the Lockhart’s who were given a land grant, it was passed to the Campbell’s of Loudoun and then to the Cunninghame’s of Kilmaurs. In 1488, while in the Cunninghame’s possession, the castle was burned to the ground as a result of a feud with the Earl of Eglinton. As an act of vengeance, the Cunninghames burned Eglinton Castle. Read the full story

The town of Stevenston derives its name from Stephan Lockhart. In 1170, Stephan Lockhart’s father received a land grant from the Lord High Constable, Richard de Morville. The first time the town is mentioned in a charter is 1240.

Coal mining was the town’s mainstay for several centuries until the coal pits were mined out toward the end of the 1800’s. During the 1900’s, explosive and chemical production was the town’s lifeblood. The town was devastated when ICI closed plants and reduced its presence in the town. Although the ICI site was taken over and is operated as Nobel Enterprises, the level of production is at a much smaller scale. Read the full story