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Home , Dean Castle, Glenbuck, Loudoun, Loudoun Castle, Loudoun Hill, Mauchline

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The and Country Park, River Way, from A phenomenal medieval experience. The Dean Castle is a A unique opportunity for walkers to experience the most glorious wonderfully well-preserved keep and surrounding buildings set in countryside on ’s first source to sea walk. Starting beautifully manicured gardens and Country Park extending to more at Glenbuck, the birthplace of legendary football manager Bill than 480 acres. Shankley, the path travels 44 miles to the sea at Ayr.

The Historic Old Town, Kilmarnock Burns House Museum, Narrow lanes and unique little boutique shops. There are plenty of Situated in the heart of picturesque Mauchline, the museum was supermarkets and big stores elsewhere in Kilmarnock, but check the first marital home of and . As well as out Bank Street for something really different. being devoted to the life of Scotland’s national poet, the museum The Palace Theatre and Grand Hall, Kilmarnock has exhibits on the village’s other claims to fame – stones The creative hub of . This is where everything from and Mauchline Box Ware. opera companies to pantomimes come to perform. And the hall is a great venue for private events. Kay Park, Kilmarnock Soon to be home to the Burns Monument Centre, this is one of , Kilmarnock the best of Kilmarnock’s public parks. With dramatic views over Home of the famous Ayrshire Killie: a team that down the years has the town, Kay Park is the site of Scotland’s biggest Bonfire Night wowed football fans across Scotland and Europe. The club and the firework displays outside Glasgow. Council have excellent outreach events for local youngsters. , , by Prince Charles led a £45 million consortium that A stunning freshwater loch situated at the very bought this fine stately home for the nation. south of the local authority area. It presents The house is one of the finest examples of a magnificent backdrop for walks up East Adam architecture, and boasts a world- Ayrshire’s hills. class collection of Chippendale furniture. Golf Club, His Royal Highness intends building an The historic estate boasts two fine “eco village” nearby. castles, one of which will soon be a five star hotel sitting alongside Colin Baird Institute, Cumnock Montgomerie’s first UK golf course. This excellent history centre and museum has an important collection Castle Theme Park, of local arts and crafts, and significant Galston photographs and artefacts charting Scotland’s best theme park offers the mining industry of Cumnock and the great days out for mums, dads, kids and surrounding area. grandparents alike. Whether you like big dippers, waltzers or candy floss, you’ll find Doon Valley Museum, Dalmellington fun here. The exhibitions and permanent displays illustrate the social and industrial history of the Doon Valley, Caprington and Annanhill Golf Courses, Kilmarnock Municipal golf courses that present a challenge to seasoned focusing heavily on mining and how the industry has affected golfers, but offer great fairways for those who are less able. Pretty the local communities down the years. places for an afternoon round. The Galleon Centre, Kilmarnock This mining village had a major role in the history of the Whether it’s swimming, skating, indoor bowling or the gym, the and played a huge part in industrial innovation. “Tar Galleon is the place to take physical exercise on the odd day when McAdam” pioneered road surfacing here, and it was the first town the sun doesn’t shine on Kilmarnock. in Britain to have gas lighting. Enjoy the self-guided tour assisted by audio commentary. , near Steeped in history, Loudoun Hill sits majestically at the top of the The Barony “A” Frame, by Irvine Valley just outside Darvel. A scramble up its steep grassy This “B” listed freestanding mining structure is of national banks is rewarded with wonderful views over Ayrshire to the Firth of importance as it is the last structure of its kind in the UK. A mining Clyde, Arran and Ailsa Craig. heritage trail opens here in Autumn 2007. , Kilmarnock This Kilmarnock icon has just had a facelift. With its imposing Craigengillan Estate, Dalmellington blonde sandstone façade this is one of the finest public buildings Set in the rolling Southern Uplands, Craigengillan is a captivating in Scotland, boasting junior, adult, audio and reference library landscape with a fascinating history with its founding family the services, two art galleries and three museum galleries displaying famous road builders the McAdams. New owner Mark Gibson has fine art, contemporary art and craft, natural sciences and local and lovingly restored miles of pathways with the help of local volunteers, industrial history. and positively encourages public access. Theme Park

Dick Institute

co eaVXZ The Palace Theatre BY STEPHEN KHAN WELCOME to Kilmarnock. You may connections with Robert Burns, whose first works were published here, will be set in stone forever with the development of a fantastic have just arrived for the first time. new Burns Monument Centre dedicated to the memory of the Or perhaps you are a frequent visitor. national Bard. And there are a host of plans to further develop the Either way, there are probably lots of town centre, shopping and leisure facilities. Of course, life isn’t always about taking time out, and anyone things you have yet to discover about thinking of living in a new place wants to know what facilities there this historic town and the surrounding are in terms of health, education and social services. East Ayrshire area. Kilmarnock has a long, proud tradition of providing the very best of the National Health Service. The latest example of this is Have you sampled the secrets of Dean Castle Country Park and the maternity wing of the excellent Hospital. But health Loudoun Castle Theme Park? Are you aware of the strong links to services do not just stop there and a number of local centres are Robert Burns? currently being rolled out that provide a whole raft of facilities. What about the multitude of things to do at weekends? And I’ll With four secondary schools, the town has excellent educational bet you didn’t know that there are loads of great places to shop capacity. Eight brand new schools and acadamies will be open by and eat. There is also the fabulous Dick Institute library and museum, 2008 across Kilmarnock and East Ayrshire. a five minute walk from the Palace Theatre and Grand Hall. So living in Kilmarnock is about convenience; it is about Quite simply, there’s nothing quite like living in Kilmarnock. excellence; and it is about having a good time. Golf courses at You are close to the sea, have access to excellent schools, public Caprington and Annanhill provide a fantastic route into the sport, services, parks and shops. Glasgow Prestwick Airport is 20 minutes but also present a challenge to those who have more experience. away. The city and its other airport are not much further. The The whole area is steeped in the tradition of lawn bowls and there majesty of Arran lies just across the water and, of course, there is are swimming and skating facilities in Kilmarnock. It is also, of golf galore throughout the region. course, home to Premier League football club, the famous Ayrshire Over the next few pages you’ll discover in more detail exactly Killie, which hosts football coaching sessions for youngsters what Kilmarnock has to offer. Scottish writers have tapped away on through the summer. A wander through the ground brings back fond their keyboards to tell you precisely what it is about East Ayrshire childhood memories of matches against top sides as well as fights that they love. for promotion from the lower leagues we once inhabited. Herald restaurant critic Ron MacKenna guides you through the Fortunately, now Killie’s fixtures are very much top flight and my region’s culinary delights; leading journalist Katrina Tweedie takes more recent recollections include excursions to the Continent and a tour of the town’s shops and services and I go on a journey of victory in the Scottish Cup. discovery through the “back garden” of the town where I grew up. The local rugby clubs are also well supported, providing There is also a calendar of events coming up over the next six excellent training facilities for youngsters taking up the sport and months and a guide to the things going on that you just need to fine social facilities for adults cheering them on. know about. East Ayrshire’s a special place to live, work learn and enjoy. But Kilmarnock and East Ayrshire are brilliant places to live. We’re these are just my thoughts and memories of the place. Why don’t pretty sure you’ll agree after having a read and taking a trip around. you come here and create some of your own? And the future promises to be even better. Kilmarnock’s Stephen Khan is former Scotland Editor of The Observer King Street’s shops

]dbZ idlc i^eff_d] Historic Bank Street is just one of the reasons the shop was named the consumers’ ]VkZc favourite retailer of the year in the Scottish Retail Awards. BY KATRINA TWEEDIE Next door, the Dress Exchange is a treasure trove of high quality vintage clothing. Selling once-worn designer pieces, it is a favourite KILMARNOCK has been awarded for mother-of-the-bride outfits, ball gowns or something for a the honour of the UK’s friendliest special occasion. shopping town, so we went to Unique is yet another smaller shop selling famous names to investigate what the shops had a younger crowd and just around the corner, on Nelson Street, Pink proves that ladies in Kilmarnock are au fait with what’s on the to offer. catwalk every season. With a historic old town where you can find cutting-edge It is also worth a visit for affordable jewellery, including fabulous fashion alongside tartan bonnets, rare whisky suppliers as well as Pilgrim items. Straight across the road The Personal Touch is a a trendy deli, Kilmarnock has a diverse collection of shops catering lingerie boutique that delivers exactly what it says. for every taste. Nearby, Hector MacDonald & Co is a camera shop with the The main thoroughfare, King Street, has all the high street latest in photo and video equipment and staff who can explain how favourites such as Marks & Spencer, Boots, BHS, Top Shop and all the high-tech-gadgetry works. WH Smith. With so many contemporary shops within such a small area, it’s Burns Mall, the indoor shopping centre, has further staples such refreshing to see that the traditionalists have not been forgotten. as Woolworths, Argos and JJB Sports and a short distance away at A few hundred yards away William G Gibson retains an old the Glencairn Retail Park there’s TK Maxx. world charm and next door, Youngs Menswear continues to cater But encouragingly the shopping experience doesn’t end with for a traditional clientele – as it has done since 1936. Incidentally, at the big names and numerous supermarkets. £15 the tweed caps are half the price of city boutiques. On quaint Bank Street, in the heart of the old town there’s a DM Hannah, the small grocery store on College Wynd is a promising array of small independent retailers and each merits a visit. much-loved institution in the town. For over 90 years the family has Fashionistas should head for Cove, a small but well-stocked served the town’s shoppers and with brothers David and Stewart at boutique with latest designs from well-known names such as Sticky the tills, the shop still evokes a more gentle era. Fingers. Try their Black Diamond cheese or own-smoked ham to Despite the designer tags the prices are reasonable, which become a convert for life. On John Finnie Street, David Faulds & Son old-fashioned butchers shop illustrates exactly why shoppers are increasingly returning to the smaller independent retailers. Ian Faulds details on a blackboard each farm where he has sourced his meat and it’s not unusual to see a whole side of beef or lamb hanging. Bank Street boasts a gaggle of delightlful small eateries such as Flavours Deli, which has a wide range of filo pastry pies and coffee shops such as Mamitas (home of incredible sausage rolls) and the Coffee Club. The town’s most famous culinary delicacy, though, has to be the famous, award winning Killie Pie, from Brownings the Bakers. Nearby, the stylish window front of I Do - Gifts belies the name of the shop, which caters for far more than wedding lists and has a steady following among handbag aficionados with ranges from Tula, Radley and Diddl. Next door, Riddicks has quality giftware including a large selection of glasswear and figurines from makes such as Coalport and Highlander Tartan Wear specialises in kilt hire but also has a wide selection of Scottish themed gifts. George Tannahill & Sons is yet another long-standing Killie business, famous for quality furniture and Sinforiani Brothers, on George Street, is a newsagent with a difference – and also stocks a large selection of rare malt whisky. It has recently started selling the legendary Forum ice cream, but for the full raft of flavours head to the Forum Cafe itself on High Glencairn Street. The shopping experience is nothing if not eclectic in this part of town and includes P & R Torbet, a treasure trove for budding campers or fishermen. But Titchfield Street is emerging as another bustling shopping

The people and places of Kilmarnock’s bustling town centre street worth a visit, especially for trendy children’s wear shops such as Kitten, The Purple Turtle and Footsteps. JH Donald is yet another family business, and it sells up-to-date plasma TV screens and the latest in sound systems. Valhalla Music nearby is a well-regarded music store and Flower Thyme not only has gorgeous blooms but is worth a visit if you’re looking for a quirky gift. Kilmarnock’s pedestrianised town centre is easily accessible with ample parking, lots of public transport and the streets are bustling with shoppers. With charming staff and an individual selection of shops it’s not hard to see why Kilmarnock trumped the larger shopping centres as a retail paradise and remains, as they say locally, a hometown not a clone town. _jhi lV^i^c\

idWZ From stunning views across Loch Doon (left) to fun and games at the Dean Castle [d`eo[Z by a consortium led by Prince Charles to form the heart of a new BY STEPHEN KHAN community-living project. WHEN it comes to back gardens,there Back on the main road south, the towns and villages give way to open expanses of water such as Creoch Loch, where an abundance of are few that can compete with brown and rainbow trout are a perennial attraction to anglers. Permits Kilmarnock’s. Even if you have your eye are available to those visiting the area. on a first-floor flat in the town centre, Afterwards, why not pop into the neighbouring Lochside Hotel for a you can be sure that you are moving to spot of lunch or dinner. an area that boasts some of Scotland’s Creoch, though, is merely a foretaste of what is to come a few miles down the Burnfoot Road, where the shimmering waters of Loch most beautiful countryside. Doon are to be found. Hikers and a smattering of caravaners share Indeed, of a weekend you need not even cross the borders of the the lochside with wildlife, yet Loch Doon remains remarkably free from local authority area to experience spectacular scenery, rich history visitors given its beauty - and history. and a whole host of indoor and outdoor activities. The lochs come At the end of the West Bank road stands (also well-stocked with fish and the lush idyll welcomes walkers whether they known as Ballaoch Castle), which originally perched on an island at seek a gentle amble or a more challenging hike. the southern end of the loch. The eight-sided, curtain-walled structure A day-trip down East Ayrshire’s splendid rural spine may well does not offer the fairytale-style experience that Kilmarnock’s own convince you that this area offers a quality of life that is second to none. Dean Castle and Country Park does, yet it remains a striking and eerie Heading along the A76, you rapidly find yourself transported to a world reminder of the area’s place in our nation’s history. of rolling green fields and wide open vistas. The route heads through Surrounding this site are nature trails that treat walkers to some of the small town of Mauchline – a fine place to pause for an award- the best views southern Scotland has to offer. Among them is the winning Ayrshire Farmhouse ice cream and a visit to The Burns House celebrated Craiglea Trail, that leaves from the foot of the castle’s remains. Museum, the marital home of the national Bard - before continuing to If you still have energy after that then there’s always horse riding the southern edges of East Ayshire, where a scenic delight awaits. or kayaking on the Craigengillan Estate, which also boasts magnificent Before reaching there, though, you would be well advised to take gardens. Another must see is Afton Water and surrounding a slight detour to gain a taste of the social history of the region. You countryside. will discover that at Glenbuck, a village that no longer exists yet that’s Should this trip through the garden of East Ayrshire leave you influence lives long in the hearts of football lovers world-wide. For this somewhat exhausted, there are a number of excellent bed and was the birthplace of the legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankley, breakfasts in the Dalmellington area. Alternative, the highly regarded as well as dozens of other top-flight players down the years. No other Inn (see Ron McKenna’s Choice Cuts) has rooms where you can village can have had such an impact on the growth of the game. relax after an exhausting day enjoying the delights of the countryside. Glenbuck also marks the start of the picturesque Way, Yet, it’s just a short drive back to Kilmarnock. With such a natural a marked route that runs through wonderful countryside all the way playground on your doorstep you might just decide to make every to the sea. And nearby is the stunning Dumfries House, bought weekend an East Ayrshire weekend. The Sorn Inn: Michelin aspirations

X]d^XZ Ykji Fine dining in Kilmarnock BY RON McKENNA rising slowly. The final appetiser before the arrival of the meltingly soft braised rib of short - beef with its horseradish mash, watch out IT’S in the west, yet it’s called “East”. for that kick, and clever mix of barley and roast vegetable alongside. It doesn’t include Ayr, yet it’s called Michelin star food? Maybe. “Ayrshire”. Strange as it may seem, that That’s the standard they’re trying to achieve here. That’s what was all I could think about when they the chat’s about in here. Tonight. And then? Fast forward again. To said: food; restaurants; East Ayrshire. Kilmarnock. In East Ayrshire? Yes, indeed it is. Even I know that. To the recently opened Jefferson, or to the House of Chau – where Sometimes the memory requires a little jog. A push. A kick, there is evidence that all Chinese restaurants are not the same. even. So we get in the car and drive to the country. To a village. To Where you should take a walk on the wild side, and ask them to Gatehead. To the Cochrane Inn. In, aha, East Ayrshire. Where the choose the dishes. Ask them to include fresh seafood. You will, like sun shines and the memory is jogged by perfect lawns, ivy covered us, be eating amid the scent of ginger and soy and enjoying what walls, a packed and comfortable bar, a steak with a fried egg atop the Chinese do best. I could go on. and an abiding impression that here is where the big portions live. In fact I will. To Flavours Deli in Bank Street. Still in Kilmarnock. And yes that is chat about golf at the next table, after all we are in Where the rush starts early this lunchtime. And where we have to East Ayrshire. hang about on the street before getting a seat. Which is frustrating Most of our chat, though, is about where we are going next. because through the window we can see those incredibly deeply For in East Ayrshire, there is an abundance of eateries in town and layered pies with port and stilton and game and just about beyond. And it is to another village we head. Through more green everything you can think of. fields, to another inn, of an entirely different kind. On an entirely Where it’s all hand made and served by family members. different day. We’re fast forwarding here. So keep up. This time no And where it’s good simple food at its very best. And definitely jog is needed to the old grey cells. This time we are in the Sorn Inn. somewhere that’s going places. In Sorn. Where we’re eating crab beignets. Crisp, bread-crumby In the past I may have said there are two things you need to shell cracking under the knife, moist nuggets of crab inside. know about East Ayrshire - that it’s not in the East and doesn’t We’re also eating gravadlax; brioche with chicken liver parfait, gamey contain Ayr. rillete of duck with a sharp yet sweet beetroot and lentil dressing. Well, I was kidding. There’s loads of great things about East And there’s more on this plate of mixed starters. A plate of Ayrshire. And the food’s one of them. You just need to get out there mixed starters, incidentally, that is magazine picture perfect. There’s and find it. I did. a steaming bowl of soup in the middle. The aroma of ham and lentil Ron MacKenna is the restaurant critic of The Herald The Dick Institute, Kilmarnock

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For details of the full range of what’s on and services available in East Ayrshire go to www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk