west kilbridea guide to local paths and the outdoors

www.ayrshirepaths.orgwww.north-ayrshire.gov.uk

Enjoy West Kilbride’soutdoors responsibly

welcome to west kilbrideincluding Seamill and Portencross

Why visit West Kilbride?

original ‘Sea Mill’, a grain watermill possibly dating back to the 17th century. The historic village of Portencross, with its ancient castle, lies further north along the coast, approximately 3km northwest of Seamill.

Each of the three villages has its own unique charms, history and a range of things to see and do.

Enjoy West Kilbride’soutdoors responsibly

Together, the villages of West Kilbride, Seamill and Portencross are con-sidered to be a ‘small town’. West Kilbride, the largest of the three villages, nestles on the hillside beneath Law Hill and Tarbert Hill, and is overlooked by Cauldron Hill (329m, 1,079 ft). 

The adjacent village of Seamill lies on the Clyde coast and straddles the main coast road (A78) between Ardrossan and Largs. It is named after the

Kirktonhall Glen extends for some 1.5 kms and its broadleaved, woodland walks provide an enjoyable stroll for families and visitors. The entrance is next to the Caitlin Garden. The Glen runs from West Kilbride to Seamill following the Kilbride Burn.

The coastline between Seamill and Portencross provides uninterrupted, panoramic views of the Clyde, Arran and beyond. There are many varieties of birds here such as Black Guillemot, Oystercatchers and Cormorants. Keep an eye out for seals amongst the rocks!

West Kilbride has been designated as Scotland’s Craft Town and was recognised as one of Scotland's most creative places in the Year of Creative Scotland 2012.

Portencross Castle dates back to around 1360 and stands in a prominent position on the shoreline. The castle, which has been recently refurbished, is open to the public during the summer months.

The Craft Town of West Kilbride, together with scenic Seamill and historic Portencross, provide a great day out for locals and visitors looking for walks, wildlife, scenery and Scottish crafts.

welcome to west kilbrideincluding Seamill and Portencross

health benefits

Did you know that while you are enjoying the outdoors your body is enjoying it too?

Being active is good for your health. It has been shown to reduce people’s risk of heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. It can help improve low mood and reduce the risk of depression and anxiety. Keeping active can also improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis. The current recommendation for physical activity is 30 minutes of moderate activity on at least five days of the week.

Walking and cycling are a great ways to do this!

• Makes you feel good• Gives you more energy• Reduces stress and helps you sleep better• Keeps your heart healthy and reduces blood pressure• Helps to manage your weight

Why are they great activities for staying healthy?

• Almost everyone can do them• You can do them anywhere and at any time• They’re free and you don’t need special equipment• You can start slowly and build up gently• You can meet new people

history

West Kilbride is an ancient place whose name means ‘church’ or ‘chapel’, dedicated to the Celtic Saint, St Bridget who visited around 500ad. It remained a small village until the 19th century when weaving developed as a cottage industry. Development then continued down the hill to Seamill where the village grew around its old Sea Mill, a water driven grain mill.

After the arrival of the railway in 1878, West Kilbride and Seamill developed as a holiday resort and dormitory town for Glasgow and Paisley. Seamill Hydropathic Hotel was opened in 1879 as seawater bathing was thought to begood for conditions such as “sciatica, rheumatism andlumbago”. When the Hotel was being extended skeletons were uncovered in stone kists, dating from early Christian times.

Portencross has been inhabited for thousands of years. An archaeological dig found evidence of an Iron Age settlement on Auldhill, just behind Portencross Castle.

The Castle was constructed in three phases starting around 1360 and was inhabited until the 1600s. Tradition says that Portencross was the temporary resting place of Scottish Kings on their way to Iona, for burial. 

In 1315, a year after Bannockburn, Robert the Bruce gifted the area to Sir Robert Boyd of Kilmarnock and it was around 1360 that PortencrossCastle was built.

Robert II may have signed Charters at Portencross Castle as they are shown as being dated at ‘Arnele’, the estate at Portencross. One of these Charters secured much of the northwest of Scotland for the descendants of the first Lord of the Isles who, conveniently, had links to the King’s family, the Stewarts, through marriage.

A cannon, one of a number salvaged from the wreck of a Spanish Armada ship sunk off Portencross, is situated near the castle.

The castle itself fell into decline and was used for many years by local fishermen to store their nets. Restoration work began on the castle in 2009 and Portencross is often open for visitors to explore both the history of the castle and the surrounding area.

Learn more about local history, birds, geology and more at www.portencrosscastle.org.uk.

A community-inspired development, West Kilbride was named as Scotland's first designated Craft Town in 2006. This has transformed the town into a creative hub which includes the Barony Centre, a craft exhibition, education and events venue, as well as open studios and a wealth of craft shops. www.crafttownscotland.org

The Green CentreEstablished in a disused quarry within West Kilbride, The Green Centre was purchased by the community in 2007. The aim is to improve biodiversity and wildlife habitats and make them accessible to all. Boasting an award-winning wormery, the Green Centre also has a vegetable garden, contemplative garden and a large greenhouse area. Bedding plants are grown here before planting out in the various gardens, troughs and hanging baskets that add colour to the town in the spring and summer monthswww.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/west_kilbride_green_centre/

Kirktonhall HouseBuilt in 1660, Kirktonhall was the birthplace of Robert Simson (1687–1768), the Professor of Mathematics at Glasgow University who reintroduced Euclidean Geometry to the world. There is a monument to his memory in the West Kilbride cemetery. Kirktonhall House has been altered and ex-tended several times over its life as is evidenced in the dated stonework on the Main Street façade. There are plans to use the building as the Kirkton-hall Creative Media Centre.

things to see and do

Kirktonhall GlenA remnant of the original Kirktonhall Estate, this picturesque woodland leads from West Kilbride to Seamill and was gifted to the town in 1928 by Robert Barr. The Kilbride Burn flows through the Glen and enters the Firth of Clyde at Seamill. Here you can visit the Hunterston Brooch Garden, commemorating the local find of a 1200 year old Celtic brooch, now in the Museum of Scotland. Nearby is the Marsh Garden, designed locally and created with the help of BBC Scotland’s Beechgrove Garden.

West Kilbride War MemorialThe original memorial built in 1921 was re-dedicated in 2001 with four new granite stones listing the names of the men and women who died in the first and second World Wars.

West Kilbride Community CentreWest Kilbride Community Centre is one of the most widely used in North Ayrshire acting as a venue for a wide range of activities: Music & Drama, dance classes, youth group activities and private functions. A committee of dedicated volunteers from the local community manages the Centre.

The West Kilbride Golf Course was designed by legendary Tom Morris, who is famous for hitting the very first stroke in the first Open Championship. The West Kilbride Golf Club opened in 1893 as a

9-hole course. In 1905 a redesign by an-other legendary golfer, James Braid, turned the club into a full 18-hole course. A few years later Braid would go on to design the famous King’s

and Queen’s courses at Gleneagles. The West Kilbride course has breath-taking views of the Isle of Arran and benefits from the milder winters of the Clyde coast.

West Kilbride Golf Club www.westkilbridegolfclub.com

Law CastleSituated at the foot of Law Hill since the mid15th cen-tury, Law Castle was built as a wedding gift for Prin-cess Mary, Countess of Arran, the eldest daughter of King James II. The castle was a ruin for more than 250 years before being substantially restored in recent times. The Castleis now privately owned and available as an exclusive holiday home.

West Kilbride MuseumWest Kilbride Public Hall houses the local Museum and is managed by a committee of volunteers. There are displays relating to farming, fishing and weaving are on permanent display as is a selection of old toys and dolls. There are annual and periodic exhibitions including artwork and photography.www.westkilbridemuseum.org.uk

Ayrshire Coastal PathThe Ayrshire Coastal Path runs 147km from Glenapp in the south to Skelmorlie at the north end. The path follows the coast and enters Seamill at a footbridge over the Kilbride Burn near the original Sea Mill. The path runs adjacent to the golf course and beach towardsPortencross. There are views to Arran, Cumbraeand distant hills, with lots of birds, rocks, wavesand weather on the way.www.ayrshirecoastalpath.org

things to see and do

West Kilbride StationWest Kilbride Station was designed by the renowned architect James Miller (1860-1947) who was also responsible for designing the iconic Turnberry Hotel. The station has been lovingly renovated and is now a popular café.

useful information

Information on rail and bus travel is available from www.travelinescotland or by calling 0871 200 2233.

Information on outdoor access in North Ayrshire is available fromaccessofficer@north-ayrshire.gov.uk and www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/outdooraccess.

Information on the Scottish Outdoor Access Code is available from www.outdooraccess-scotland.com.

Information on local path networks is available from www.ayrshirepaths.org.uk.

Information on health and wellbeing in Ayrshire is available from www.healthinfoshop.scot.nhs.uk.

North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House Irvine KA12 8EE

Telephone: 0845 603 0590e-mail: accessofficer@north-ayrshire.gov.ukwww.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/outdooraccesswww.ayrshirepaths.org

Copies of this booklet and others in this series are available to download from our website.These booklets can also be made available in other formats and community languages.

This project was funded by:

Please contact the Access Officer for more information.