South of Girvan the road runs out of flat ground and the coast turns wild. In thirteen miles it gives you a mountain pass on the shoreline, a Russian shipwreck memorial, a beach made of ancient ocean floor, a headland with a notorious legend attached, and a five-star castle where you can have tea. It is the shortest day on this list and one of the best, particularly out of season when the sea is up.
Notes on the stops
Kennedy's Pass is where the A77 is cut into the cliff above the sea. There are lay-bys to stop in, and the old coach road over Pinbain makes an hour's walk with the whole firth below you.
Lendalfoot is the heart of the day. The Varyag memorial commemorates a Russian cruiser wrecked here in 1925 under tow to the breakers, and its free car park is the best base. The shore is internationally important geology — pillow lavas and serpentinites of the Ballantrae Complex, rock that was once the floor of a vanished ocean — and it is superb for pebbles and rock pools. Carleton Castle stands on the hill behind.
Bennane Head has a viewpoint car park and the wide view south. The cove below is Balcreuchan Port, whose caves are associated with the Sawney Bean legend, a lurid tale of a cannibal clan that has almost no historical basis. We would not recommend attempting the descent: it is steep, loose and slippery, the tide cuts the shore off, and people have needed rescuing from it. The story is better told from the viewpoint.
Ballantrae is lunch: a shingle spit at the mouth of the Stinchar with a wildlife reserve on it, the ruin of Ardstinchar Castle above the bridge, and a harbour. Check what is open before you count on a particular pub.
Glenapp Castle, two miles on, is a five-star country house hotel in its own woodland. Afternoon tea is open to non-residents but must be booked, and it turns a short day into a memorable one.
Making a walk of it
The best version of this day swaps some driving for walking. Take the bus south and walk the coastal path from Lendalfoot back to Girvan — about seven miles over the old coach road, with the sea below you the whole way. Buses run between Girvan and Ballantrae, so you can start or finish almost anywhere along the route.
Practical notes
Free throughout, apart from what you eat. The A77 here is fast and narrow with limited pull-ins, so use the proper lay-bys and car parks rather than the verge. In winter storms the pass occasionally suffers rockfall and can close — check before setting out. There are no facilities at all at Lendalfoot or Bennane, so carry water and a flask.
