The Shire: Forgotten Past
Driving
A selection of sites to ignite the imagination
This tour is 138 miles long, please allow at least 5 hours to complete it, excluding the time taken to enjoy the destinations along the way.
Delve into the mythical, magical history of the Shire with the Forgotten Past route. Adults and children alike will revel in visiting the sites of romantic ruins, cursed portraits, hill-top fortresses and castles haunted by the restless spirits of Jacobite rebels. If it all gets too much, the mystical properties of the Old Dailly Blue Stones should soothe any jitters, while a different side of the Shire’s history can be experiences in the arts and culture of Rozelle House, or the many indoor and outdoor attractions of Dumfries House. The Wallace Tower – which pre-dates Stirling’s Wallace Monument by more than a decade – offers a fascinating new insight into William Wallace’s legacy, whilst the Earl of Glencairn was instrumental in encouraging Robert Burns to publish his poetry during the period he presided over Dean Castle.
What you'll see
Wallace Tower - Ayr
History & Heritage
Not to be confused with The Wallace Monument in Stirling, the Wallace Tower in Ayr predates its Stirling sibling by approximately a decade (1855-7)
04 The Bute
Rozelle House - Ayrshire
History & Heritage
Rozelle House is a mid-18th century manor on a formerly privately-owned estate in the town of Ayr
04 The Bute
Maybole Castle - Ayrshire
History & Heritage
The formidable-looking Maybole Castle is a four-storey garret tower in the Ayrshire town of Maybole.
04 The Bute
Culzean Castle & Country Park - Maybole
Parks & Gardens
Robert Adam’s cliff-top masterpiece rises above a world of woods, beaches, secret follies and play parks
04 The Bute
Old Dailly Blue Stones - South Ayrshire
History & Heritage
Located in the graveyard of the ruined Covenanters Church in Old Dailly, the two Blue Stones once sat at the altar and were known as Sanctuary Stones.
04 The Bute
Penkill Castle - South Ayrshire
History & Heritage
Penkill Castle is a 16th-century castle north-east of Girvan in South Ayrshire, Scotland.
04 The Bute
Carleton Castle - South Ayrshire
History & Heritage
Carleton Castle is a 15th-century five-storey tower, and a Category B-Listed building.
04 The Bute
St Colmon Parish Church and Churchyard - Colmonell
History & Heritage
At least three Churches have existed on this site since around 1179 and there are records of Ministers recorded as far back as the 1400s.
04 The Bute
Dalquharran Castle - South Ayrshire
History & Heritage
Dalquharran Castle is an 18th century category-A listed building in South Ayrshire.
04 The Bute
Dean Castle - Kilmarnock
History & Heritage
Dean Castle Country Park is a fantastic free day out for all the family.
04 The Bute
Dumfries House - Cumnock
History & Heritage
Dumfries House is a 1750s Palladian country house in Ayrshire, Scotland.
