Leave the car park and turn left on to the Foreland. At the T-junction with Main Street cross the road and turn right. Near the outskirts of the village, just before the bridge over the River Stinchar, look up to your left to view the ruins of the former stronghold of the Bargany Kennedy's Ardstinchar Castle. As the castle walls have deteriorated and are considered unstable it is perhaps not advisable to go any closer.
From here cross the Stinchar Bridge and take the first turning on the right, heading uphill on a narrow country lane and past a row of cottages. At a junction in the road keep to the left but look out for one of the Garleffin Standing Stones in the rear garden of the bungalow at the junction.
There's another stone in the front garden of this house but you will see that later in the walk. In the meantime continue uphill passing the cemetery, on your right, then Glenapp Castle gates on your left and a little further on the Big Park Civic Amenity Site, on the left.
The next landmark on the left is the farm road to Bigpark. Continue past this and look out for the next farmhouse on the right. About 300yds (274m) before this house the road dips; there's a stream beside the road here. Turn right on to a farm track that heads downhill between two high hedges.
Near the bottom of the hill, just past a large barn on your left, the road splits. Turn right here and continue along this road, through a farm steading, past Downan farmhouse and uphill. When the road levels out look to the horizon in front of you for the distinctive outline of Knockdolian Hill, often referred to by local mariners as the 'false Craig'.
Look over to your left at the same time to see the real Ailsa Craig away to the northwest. Looking along the beach towards Ballantrae is Shellknowe. Continue along this road, past the farm of Kinniegar and through the hamlet of Garleffin. Note that some of the houses have names like Druidslea and Glendruid.
In the front garden of Druidslea is another standing stone. Turn left, go downhill on this country lane, turn left on to the main road and return to Ballantrae. Go through a gate on the left-hand side and into the kirkyard. The Kennedy crypt can be found by going up some steps on the right. If the door is locked you can still see inside through a small window on the door. Return to Main Street and turn left into Shore Road. Walk along this street to reach the T-junction and turn left into Foreland and return to the car park where you started.
If the ruins of Ardstinchar Castle could speak they would tell a tale of a series of events designed to wipe out one branch of Ayrshire's most powerful family, the Kennedys. Fact or Fiction? An ancient manuscript lies in a basement in an Edinburgh library. It was written at the time of these... events and, although the author remains anonymous, it is believed to be the work of John Mure of Auchindrain House near Ayr. It was the writing of S R Crocket, minister turned novelist, who brought this story to the attention of a wider public when he took it and used it as the basis of his novel The Grey Man. This is a work of fiction but woven through the tale is the factual thread of the tragic events which occurred in Ayrshire at the end of the 16th century. Kennedy Feud Crocket's novel opens with the fictional burning of Ardstinchar Castle, but he uses this event to outline the origins of the Kennedy feud. This was an attempt by the Earl of Cassillis, the senior Kennedy, to acquire the lands of Crossraguel Abbey. All efforts to persuade Allan Stewart, the Commendator of Crossraguel, failed, so Cassillis seized him, carried him off to his stronghold at Dunure Castle and there in the Black Vault of Dunure 'roasted the hapless Stewart over a slow fire until he signed'. However, Stewart's brother-in-law, Kennedy of Bargany, rescued him and although Cassillis ordered by the High Court to compensate Stewart, he was allowed to keep the lands. Cassillis was thereafter intent on destroying the house of Bargany and plots, intrigues and blood lettings took place, culminating in the murder of Bargany by Cassillis near Maybole in 1601. Bargany was interred in the family vault at Ballantrae and, although Cassillis escaped justice again, Bargany's ally John Mure, the Grey Man of Crocket's tale, took revenge by having an uncle of Cassillis assassinated. Suspicion immediately fell on Mure but he had an alibi. However, there was one witness who could tie Mure to the crime. A young boy had delivered a letter from the intended victim to Mure who read it then told the boy to return it and say he had not found Mure. To protect himself, Mure and his son strangled the hapless boy and threw him into the sea near Girvan. The boy's body washed ashore a few days later, both Mures were arrested, tried and found guilty of murder and also of being involved in the assassination. Sentenced to death for their crimes, they were executed at Edinburgh in 1611, thus ending the feud and leaving Cassillis free of any retribution.
With a mixture of wide sandy beaches, cliffs and rocky coves, the Ayrshire coastline looks out towards the Isles of Arran and Bute and enjoys a fine, mild climate fanned by the warm currents of the Gulf stream. Like so many parts of Scotland, Ayrshire is excellent for walking and the area is renowned for its superb championship golf courses, as well as boasting a wealth of historic landmarks to seek out, including lots of castles and ancient strongholds.
Leave the car park and turn left on to the Foreland. At the T-junction with Main Street cross the road and turn right. Near the outskirts of the village, just before the bridge over the River Stinchar, look up to your left to view the ruins of the former stronghold of the Bargany Kennedy's Ardstinchar Castle. As the castle walls have deteriorated and are considered unstable it is perhaps not advisable to go any closer.
1 of 7
From here cross the Stinchar Bridge and take the first turning on the right, heading uphill on a narrow country lane and past a row of cottages. At a junction in the road keep to the left but look out for one of the Garleffin Standing Stones in the rear garden of the bungalow at the junction.
2 of 7
There's another stone in the front garden of this house but you will see that later in the walk. In the meantime continue uphill passing the cemetery, on your right, then Glenapp Castle gates on your left and a little further on the Big Park Civic Amenity Site, on the left.
3 of 7
The next landmark on the left is the farm road to Bigpark. Continue past this and look out for the next farmhouse on the right. About 300yds (274m) before this house the road dips; there's a stream beside the road here. Turn right on to a farm track that heads downhill between two high hedges.
4 of 7
Near the bottom of the hill, just past a large barn on your left, the road splits. Turn right here and continue along this road, through a farm steading, past Downan farmhouse and uphill. When the road levels out look to the horizon in front of you for the distinctive outline of Knockdolian Hill, often referred to by local mariners as the 'false Craig'.
5 of 7
Look over to your left at the same time to see the real Ailsa Craig away to the northwest. Looking along the beach towards Ballantrae is Shellknowe. Continue along this road, past the farm of Kinniegar and through the hamlet of Garleffin. Note that some of the houses have names like Druidslea and Glendruid.
6 of 7
In the front garden of Druidslea is another standing stone. Turn left, go downhill on this country lane, turn left on to the main road and return to Ballantrae. Go through a gate on the left-hand side and into the kirkyard. The Kennedy crypt can be found by going up some steps on the right. If the door is locked you can still see inside through a small window on the door. Return to Main Street and turn left into Shore Road. Walk along this street to reach the T-junction and turn left into Foreland and return to the car park where you started.
If the ruins of Ardstinchar Castle could speak they would tell a tale of a series of events designed to wipe out one branch of Ayrshire's most powerful family, the Kennedys. Fact or Fiction? An ancient manuscript lies in a basement in an Edinburgh library. It was written at the time of these... events and, although the author remains anonymous, it is believed to be the work of John Mure of Auchindrain House near Ayr. It was the writing of S R Crocket, minister turned novelist, who brought this story to the attention of a wider public when he took it and used it as the basis of his novel The Grey Man. This is a work of fiction but woven through the tale is the factual thread of the tragic events which occurred in Ayrshire at the end of the 16th century. Kennedy Feud Crocket's novel opens with the fictional burning of Ardstinchar Castle, but he uses this event to outline the origins of the Kennedy feud. This was an attempt by the Earl of Cassillis, the senior Kennedy, to acquire the lands of Crossraguel Abbey. All efforts to persuade Allan Stewart, the Commendator of Crossraguel, failed, so Cassillis seized him, carried him off to his stronghold at Dunure Castle and there in the Black Vault of Dunure 'roasted the hapless Stewart over a slow fire until he signed'. However, Stewart's brother-in-law, Kennedy of Bargany, rescued him and although Cassillis ordered by the High Court to compensate Stewart, he was allowed to keep the lands. Cassillis was thereafter intent on destroying the house of Bargany and plots, intrigues and blood lettings took place, culminating in the murder of Bargany by Cassillis near Maybole in 1601. Bargany was interred in the family vault at Ballantrae and, although Cassillis escaped justice again, Bargany's ally John Mure, the Grey Man of Crocket's tale, took revenge by having an uncle of Cassillis assassinated. Suspicion immediately fell on Mure but he had an alibi. However, there was one witness who could tie Mure to the crime. A young boy had delivered a letter from the intended victim to Mure who read it then told the boy to return it and say he had not found Mure. To protect himself, Mure and his son strangled the hapless boy and threw him into the sea near Girvan. The boy's body washed ashore a few days later, both Mures were arrested, tried and found guilty of murder and also of being involved in the assassination. Sentenced to death for their crimes, they were executed at Edinburgh in 1611, thus ending the feud and leaving Cassillis free of any retribution.
With a mixture of wide sandy beaches, cliffs and rocky coves, the Ayrshire coastline looks out towards the Isles of Arran and Bute and enjoys a fine, mild climate fanned by the warm currents of the Gulf stream. Like so many parts of Scotland, Ayrshire is excellent for walking and the area is renowned for its superb championship golf courses, as well as boasting a wealth of historic landmarks to seek out, including lots of castles and ancient strongholds.
