Troon's South Sands – Dunes, Sand and the Coastal Path to Ayr
South of Troon's esplanade the beach runs on toward Prestwick for miles, with dunes of marram and gorse behind it and the Firth of Clyde in front.
It's a walk with no set length: go out along the sand for as long as suits and come back the same way. The Ayrshire Coastal Path keeps to the same shore, and its whole stage from Troon to Ayr is 8.54 miles, with a train back.
- Time
- An hour or two out and back on the sand. The Ayrshire Coastal Path's whole stage from Troon to Ayr is 8.54 miles, or 13.74 km, and four hours, graded easy.
- The path
- The promenade is paved; the sand and the dunes are not.
- Where to start
- Beside the promenade at Troon's South Beach, free. Troon station is an eight-minute walk from the shore.
- When to go
- All year, in daylight. Dogs are kept off the beach from May to the end of September.
- Dogs
- Not on the beach from May to the end of September.
- Children
- A wide sandy beach.
- Toilets
- Public toilets at Troon South, open all year from 10am to 7pm.
- Before you set out
- Sand, dune tracks and promenade. On the longer walk to Ayr the Pow Burn, between Troon and Prestwick, can be impassable for an hour either side of a very high tide, with a signed detour by the golf course. From November to January set off on that walk by 11am.
The walk
Park beside the promenade at Troon's South Beach, where parking is free, or come by train: Troon station is an eight-minute walk from the shore. The public toilets at the South Beach open all year, from 10am to 7pm. South of the esplanade the sand runs on toward Prestwick, backed by dunes of marram and gorse with the links of Royal Troon behind them, and at low tide the flats are wide. Look back and the town's seafront curves round to its headland. Across the firth, on a clear day, is Arran.
Wind and kite surfers use the bay. There's no set length to it: walk out for as long as you like and turn round when half your time has gone. The Ayrshire Coastal Path uses these sands on its stage between Troon and Ayr. By the path's own figures that is 8.54 miles and four hours end to end, easy going on beach, promenade and pavement. Frequent trains run from Ayr back to Troon in 14 minutes.
Between Troon and Prestwick that longer walk crosses the Pow Burn, which can be impassable for an hour either side of a very high tide. Signs there show a detour by the golf course, and the path's website gives tide times. From November to January set off on the longer walk by 11am. Dogs are kept off this beach from May to the end of September.
If it rains
The beach has no shelter and the wind comes straight off the firth: on a wet day keep to the esplanade and make it short.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
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For further reading, before you go.