I walked past this fascinating old building recently without knowing what it was but I wanted to…read morestop and take some photos of it! Having since done some research I now realise that it is Maybole Castle which is thought to be the oldest building in the town, being dated around 1560. It was one of the residences of the Earls of Cassillis (by coincidence, I visited another of those within the past two weeks, Dunure Castle, which was their first home). Today, Maybole Castle is apparently the headquarters of May-Tag Ltd, a company which provides training and tackles local unemployment. I think that's rather sad as I'd like to see this historic building open to the public. The antique architecture is beautiful and very interesting. I especially like the little oriel window with its ornate gable, and the round turrets. It's surprising that the castle isn't enclosed by grounds or gardens; the side is right next to the pavement of the main road! There's a tragic story I unearthed of a Countess who left her home and children to run off with a gypsy. He was found and hanged and she spent the rest of her days locked in a room at the top of the castle. I found this poem which tells the sad tale in the local dialect (I don't know who wrote it) which warns at the end that sin can blind the eye of the best and steal our innocent joy! The ladye o' Cassillis sits weeping alane, In her room in the auld castle high. And thinks o'the bricht happy days that were hers. But noo are for ever gane by, When she roamed through the woods and the fields sae green That sweep round the bonnie Doon, When maidens and vassals were a'at her beck, And the homage o' Mayhole toon.But the glamour o' wanton love cast its spell Over this high-born ladye,And she left her hoose and her bairns and a' To gang wi' a gypsy laddie. And here is the pitfu' end o' it, a' Her lover hanged on the Dule tree, While she is confined in this lanesome tower, Her life-lang weird to dree.0, easy it is to tak' a wrang step, And hard in the richt to abide, Bat wha shall undo the thing that is dune, When ance it has left oor side? Nae use for us then to sab and lament, We maun reap as we've sawnnae doot, It's easy to drap idle stanes in the well, But wha's to tak' them oot?The quaint oriel window still looks up the street, And we fancy that sad face we see, Lamenting for aye that ae fause step Which wrocht a' her misery. And this is the warning the auld story tells To ilka ane that gangs by- The glamour o' sin blins the een o' the best, And steals a' oor innocent joy.

I visited this wonderful old ruin a couple of days ago and enjoyed seeing it very much actually it…read morereminded me very much of Dundonald Castle where I went in August. Both also have modern metal steps set inside the castle walls where you can climb up to higher levels. It has apparently been in ruins for 300 years but was once the main home of the Kennedy family (the Earls of Cassillis). Mary Queen of Scots is said to have stayed here for three days in 1563 as guest of the 4th Earl, Gilbert Kennedy. By the 1700 the castle was becoming a ruin and large numbers of stones were taken to construct other buildings. It started to become a tourist attraction in the 1800s and, in more recent years, has been protected and made safe for visitors. There are several information boards around the castle which tell you about its history. There is no charge to go inside. There is a large conical dovecot close by which may date from the 15th century. It is thought to have held around 200 nesting boxes and would have supplied the residents of the castle with eggs. The castle is a short walk from Dunure Harbour, easy to see on its rocky outcrop overlooking the Clyde, and well worth a visit.

It's small, it's a ruin and there's not a lot to see but it is pretty cool that you can just park…read moreup nearby in Kennedy Park. A steel walkway and steps have been built inside the castle and you can go up to the top and check out the view. Also, entry is free unlike many attractions. Check out the stone labyrinth nearby too.

I've never so much as played an arcade machine or put a bet on the Grand National, but last year I…read morewent to Ladies Night at Ayr Races and I had so much fun! Hailed as "the most glamorous night of the year at Ayr" Ladies Night usually attracts around 8000 people all beautifully dressed and looking for a good night. Judges mingle throughout the crowd to pick the best dressed ladies, who will go through to another round with the chance to win a car and other fancy prizes. Unfortunately, I didn't win any prizes last year but it didn't stop me having a good night! I was also quids in on a horse called Igoyougo, I don't really have a clue how the odds work so I just picked the Jockey with the nicest coloured jumper. Horses creep me out a little bit, and I enjoy admiring their beauty from afar rather than getting up close and personal and it was so exciting to watch them race round the course. Just a short train or car ride from Glasgow, if you're looking for something different with a little bit of glam then I'd highly recommend Ladies Night at the races which is usually held around the second Saturday in August. I can't wait to go back this year!

Ayr Racecourse is placed in the centre of Ayr and is easily accessible. It was recently modernised…read moreand deveoped to bring it to the 21st century. It is also where the Scottish Gold Cup and Scottish National is held. As well as holding race meeting throughout the year it also hoast various events such as the recent firework display and the infamous Ayr Flower Show. With the modernisation of Western House it is proving to be a a popular destination for corporate meetings. In January they also hold a wedding fair which is an ideal location as Ayr racecourse is proving very popular destination to get married in and host the reception. Nearing the end of the year the racecourse hosts party nights for christmas in the Princess Anne Suit. These party nights are so popular that booking are taken from January onwards. I myself have attended one of these party nights and it was such a great atmosphere and i had so much fun that we have booked again for this year.

Pirate Pete's softplay children's centre is hosted in what was formerly Hangar 13 nightclub in Ayr…read more- needless to say it's changed since then. We used to take the kids here when I was a carer and they absolutely loved it. You had to practically drag them away from the climbing frames! The area itself is a maze of wonder for children of all ages. There's space for smaller kids but three floors worth for the older children who want to swing around like wee monkeys. It's well staffed and there are places stationed throughout where adults can sit and read a paper while still having one eye on the kids. Even though it's huge and offers the children a perceived amount of freedom it's well monitored so you feel safe to let them roam free for a while. There's a lot of the usual soft play facilities - punching bags, tunnels, slides and climbing walls, but all are adequately padded so your child is well protective from hurting his or herself. But should a wee accident arise, there are helpful staff on hand and easily accessible areas for adults to remove the kids to reality again. If they need cheering up, there's a big cafe area with lots of food and ice cream to offer. It comes in handy when they've been running about for hours and are gasping for a drink; but for big groups jugs full of diluting juice are supplied. It looks like a fun day out for the children and I was more than a little jealous since I loved places like this when I was wee, but at least there was tea and a paper available for us weary adults. It's in a great location so if your Duracell bunny is refusing to run out of gas you can take them to the beach and neighbouring play area afterwards.

A fantastic place to visit with younger children, its situated in the ideal location, beach park…read moreand has both outdoor and indoor facilties that keep the kids amused. The only downside with the outdoor rides, is that they are for very young children. Inside its great for the adults to relax, if they can ignore the noise, and superb for the children to play. ALL areas are segregated by age and supervised accordingly. The play area is on two floors, howver its easy to keep an eye on the children. The security is vey tight and no child could leave without their parent or guardian. It inexpensive and good value for money. Two hours of fun fun fun. As for the cafe...good food great prices.

The Gaiety is a joy of a theatre, both to spectate and perform in. It is so modern in the foyer,…read morebut the actual auditorium is gorgeous. There are a lot of original architectural features which have been beautifully restored. I was here for the National Festival of Youth Theatre last July which was a fantastic experience from beginning to end. It was an amazing opportunity to perform on a proper stage and not just in our local arts centre, school hall and barn theatre. The seats were some of the comfiest I've ever sat in at a theatre - I'm 6"2 and the legroom (in the stalls anyway) was great. The toilets aren't signposted very well and there are often queues, so try and avoid using them if possible. As you would expect for a theatre, snacks and drinks are pretty overpriced but there is a Spar and a Co-op not far away selling the same stuff for half the price. All the ushers and staff were so lovely which is nice to see. I felt for the people on the snack counters. Hundreds of teenagers on a sugar high queuing for Haribos and Coke isn't something I'd want to experience!

In it's hayday the Gaiety Theatre was the place to be and where everyone in the community would go…read more Sadly in recent times the Gaiety theatre is proving not as popular with the younger generation. It does still hold acts throughout the year and is sold out a few times but not as much as previous years. The busiest time however is christmas. Every year the gaiety will hold a panto from Nov through to January. This is a must if you are in the area as I go every year to the panto and i love it every time. Also the Gaiety threatre is proving popular with local dance school with holding thier annual dance shows there. The interiour however is a bit dated but thats the charm of the place. They also now have a cafe and a bar.It is a little bit expensive but the food is great

This is a more-or-less square harbour which is pleasant to visit either to take out a boat (if you…read moreshould be lucky enough to own one!) or just to stroll around the edge (which is what I did a couple of days ago). There are beautiful views across the Clyde to be seen towards the island of Arran. There's a large pub the Dunure Inn (refurbished in 2006) - overlooking the harbour for the odd drink and bar snack too. The Earl of Cassillis improved the harbour in 1811 at a cost of £50,000 and the village also expanded around this time. Until the 1960s, Dunure was home to many fishing boats of up to 50ft in length. But as this type of vessel became larger and needed deeper water, the fishing fleet gradually declined. These days the harbour is home to many leisure craft and a few small fishing boats. There aren't many parking spaces beside the harbour unless you are patrons of the inn, in which case you can follow the narrow pathway between the buildings into a substantial car park.

I have a different set of friends for each season. The group I go to see games at this stadium…read morewith, is my summer set. They're pretty nice. But I only see them when it's warm, which it almost never is in Bonnie Scotland. First-Hand Experience: More info about my personal experience at this stadium - I am proud to say that I have breathed the Ayr at Air United's famous old stadium. I saw a live game here during the 90s and then again in 2011. My regret is that I can't give the place more than 3, because the bathrooms were okay, but the stands were falling apart, and the one I was in was uncovered, and it rained on me. Still, it's a ground with a lot of character and if they clean it up, I'll definitely raise the rating. Fantastic atmosphere here. So when I was doing my first tour of Scotland in 2011, I also hit up every single stadium in the country. My obsession with footy (soccer to Americans) is the reason. Every stadium review - like all my reviews - are based on first-hand personal experience, usually from multiple visits. As recently as Fall 2014, when I was "stuck" in UK for 3 months, I went to most of them yet again while travelling. I have pictures of me at many of them, which I will post later. Also, when back in Scotland I plan to take more pix, and add more stadia! So watch this space! *** return to regular review *** Since 1888 it's been the stadium of Ayr and then Ayr United. It can host 10k people which is very impressive. It's not a bad little stadium but also isn't anything special either. I remember it being very cold, as are most Scottish stadiums.

Ideal for a cheap trip back in time to the days of all-standing stadia. You're right up close to…read morethe action in three of the stands. Needs a bit of money spending on it but, given the gate cost and the low prices for pies & Bovril, you can't really complain.