Facts of the Day:
Date: 03/July/2002 (evening)
From: Galloway Forest Park
Via: Girvan
To: Ayr
Miles: 55
Midges: 0 (Estimate)
Weather: Sunny and windy
Mood: Delighted

The drive from the Galloway Forest Park to the Ayrshire Coast was not very exciting, countryside like you find almost everywhere. But when I approached the coast this all changed: The view from the A714 approaching Girvan was fantastic! Almost all the clouds were gone by now, blue sky everywhere. The sun was glistening on the water, I was delighted. On the horizon I could see the distinct shape of Ailsa Craig. This interestingly shaped island is now a privately owned bird sanctuary, you can visit it by boat from Girvan. The wind was quite strong (and cold), but I still took a short walk at the harbour in Girvan. The waves breaking at the beach looked very nice, combined with the background of the Isle of Arran and the Kintyre Peninsula in the haze on the horizon. A small fishing boat approaching Girvan harbour was interesting to watch, as it was surfing on the waves running towards the coast. I then made my way along the coast to Ayr, where I had a reservation in the Windsor Hotel. It is located very well, only a few minutes walk to both the town centre and the beach. After this long day I was very hungry and was recommended an Italian restaurant. It was a good recommendation, I had a very nice dinner at Cecchini's Restaurant. Then it was time to enjoy the sunset. First a view over Ayr harbour in the light of the setting sun. Then on to St John's Tower, the only remains of the medieval church where the Scottish parliament met after the Battle of Bannockburn in 1315. The warm sunlight reflecting on its walls beautifully (and difficult to capture in a picture). And finally I made my way down to the beach to enjoy the sunset in its full glory. The wind had calmed down slightly by now, although it was still blowing quite strong. With that a very nice day ended, time to get some sleep to be fit again for the next day.