Ayrshire has no shortage of incredible beaches and the Salt Lodge in Troon is the perfect base to explore them all by car, boot, or boat. We’ve picked out just a few of Ayrshire’s best beaches that await you on your next visit to the Salt Lodge. Get ready to sink your toes into these beauties!

Ayr Beach

Ayr

If you like your beaches packed to the dunes with activities, Ayr Beach will definitely float your boat.  As well as stunning white sands, this stunning beach also features a putting green, play area and crazy golf nearby. If you’re more focused on relaxing than running amok, it’s the perfect place to lay back, soak up the elusive Scottish sun while you get the chance, and enjoy the views across to the sea to Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Arran.

Dunure Beach

Maybole

Ayrshire’s scenery is no stranger to the big and small screen – and sharp-eyed Outlander fans might recognise Dunure village and its stunning surroundings from the smash-hit TV show. Even if you’ve never heard of the Jacobean drama, there’s no denying a walk along the village’s beautiful beach is a cinematic experience. Overlooked by the rugged ruins of Dunure Castle and home to some spectacular sunsets, what the shingle beach lacks in soft sands it more than makes up for in atmosphere.

Kildonan Beach

Arran

Perched on the southern tip of the beautiful isle of Arran, a wander along the silver sands of Kildonan Beach is a must when you pay our wee neighbour a visit. Enjoy incredible views across Pladda to the mainland and keep an eye out for the island’s seals, who can often be found lazily lounging nearby. If you need to refuel after all your adventuring, the Kildonan Hotel is just a short walk from the sands and pulls a good pint!

Brodick Bay

Arran

When it comes to Arran’s beaches, Kildonan might take the prize for stunning sands, but Brodick Bay’s surroundings will take your breath away. Overlooked by the soaring summit of Goatfell and the 16^th century turrets of Brodick Castle which peer proudly over the treeline, the bay might be one of the most atmospheric in Scotland. Brodick isn’t a beach; it’s an experience.

Troon Beach

Troon

No list of Ayrshire’s best beaches would be complete without the beauty on our doorstep! A stunning, sweeping stretch of silver sand just a short saunter from our front door, Troon Beach is abuzz from dawn to dusk with everyone from post-dinner strollers and ice-cream clutching kids to wild weather-welcoming windsurfers and (arguably optimistic) sun worshippers. No trip to the town is complete without treading its sands and enjoying the views over the sea to Arran. Not that we’re biased!

Maidens Beach

Turnberry

It might sit alongside one of the world’s greatest golf courses, but Maidens Beach is no sand trap. Offering breathtaking views of the Ailsa Craig and, on a clear day, the Mull of Kintyre, it’s the perfect spot to relax after a round or two at Trump Turnberry. So-named for a series of rocks known as the “Maidens of Turnberry” that form a natural harbour, it’s a popular spot for everyone from kite-flyers to horse riders. Even dolphins seem taken by Maidens – they can often be found frolicking in its waters.

Other adventures

Looking for more adventures to undertake on your next trip to Ayrshire? Check out our guides to the incredible walking and cycling routes and fantastic food and drink on the doorstep of the Salt Lodge Hotel in Troon!