Turnberry Bay is the long sweep of sand between Girvan and Turnberry Point, and it is the emptiest good beach within fifteen minutes of the town. Three miles of broad, gently shelving sand, backed by dunes and — at the northern end — the fairways of the Ailsa championship course, with Ailsa Craig sitting offshore the whole way.
That it is usually deserted, given what is behind it, is one of the small pleasures of this coast.
The walk to the lighthouse
This is what to do here. From the beach the shore runs north to Turnberry lighthouse, standing in the fragmentary remains of Turnberry Castle where Robert the Bruce was traditionally born. The full Girvan to Turnberry walk is eight miles to Maidens, but you can drive to the beach, walk north to the lighthouse and back, and be done in a couple of hours.
The route crosses the edge of a working championship links — keep to the marked path, watch for play and give way to golfers.
The beach itself
Sand at low tide, shingle at the top of the beach, and dunes behind. It shelves gently and is fine for paddling, though there are no lifeguards. At high tide the walkable strip narrows considerably and the going turns to loose shingle, so check the tide before committing to a long walk.
It faces west. Sunset here, with the lighthouse to the north and the Craig on the horizon, is as good as this coast gets — see photography.
Practical notes
There are no facilities on the beach at all — no toilets, no shop, no café. The nearest are at Maidens a couple of miles north, which has a harbour, a café and a pub. The Turnberry hotel is not a public facility.
Parking is at the car park near the A719/A77 junction. Dogs are welcome year-round with no seasonal restrictions.
Twelve minutes from Girvan. See beaches near Girvan for how it compares with the others.
