AboutBritain.com Logo

Things to do in Troon, Ayrshire

Troon sits on the Firth of Clyde on the west coast of Scotland in South Ayrshire.

Troon
Troon ©WIESLAW - stock.adobe.com

It is three miles north-west of Glasgow Airport at Prestwick.

Sticking out on a small peninsular, the name "Troon" means "nose".

The natural harbour was developed and docks were added to serve the Duke of Portland's coal mines around Kilmarnock.

Troon Beach
Troon Beach ©Stuart Little - stock.adobe.com

The ballast dumped by incoming ships was used to create a protective shelter on the north side of the headland.

In 1812 a railway pulled by horses was built, but it was not permitted to carry passengers.

To get around the rules, passengers were charged the same rate as freight.

Troon later had one of the first steam railway lines as part of the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway.

Royal Troon golf course
Royal Troon golf course ©Gabriel.ritchie - stock.adobe.com

Troon Harbour was an important part of the town's development with many small merchant ships built by Ailsa Shipbuilders.

Crosbie Church was first recorded in 1229 but was rebuilt in 1691. Legend has it that the roof blew off the day Robert Burns was born and it was left derelict thereafter. Crossbye means "place of the cross".

In the churchyard is the grave of David Hamilton, a supporter of Mary Queen of Scots.

He shot the 1st Earl of Moray, James Stewart, in 1570 and it was probably the first-ever assassination using a firearm.

Sunset Over Troon
Sunset Over Troon ©James - stock.adobe.com

Troon Parish Church was built in 1895 but the proposed spire was never completed.

 

Present Day Troon

Troon is a sizeable town with a port which is home to a fishing fleet, ferries, container freight services and a yachting marina. Ferries run to Campbeltown and to Larne in Northern Ireland.

South Beach, Troon
South Beach, Troon ©Robert - stock.adobe.com

The town has a population of almost 15,000 at the 2001 census.

The town has many local shops and cafés on the high street. Marr College is the town's Secondary School.

Troon is well-known for the Royal Troon Golf Course which hosts the Open Golf Championship every seven years.

Landscapes of Ayrshire
Troon, Ayrshire ©Stuart Little - stock.adobe.com

Famous residents of Troon are golfer Colin Montgomerie, rugby player Gordon Brown and footballer Jamie Ness.

 

Things to do in Troon

Golfers will enjoy playing on the links at the Royal Troon Golf Club.

Steps on dunes on Troon beach
Steps on dunes on Troon beach ©Gordon Saunders - stock.adobe.com

It has both the shortest and the longest holes in Open Championship golf.

The 8th hole, known as the Postage Stamp is just 123 yards long and the 6th hole, the Turnberry, is 601 yards long.

The coast is ideal for yachting and kitesurfing as strong winds blow along the Firth of Clyde providing the right conditions for these exciting sports.

Kitesurfer and windsurfer,  Barassie Beach, Troon
Kitesurfer and windsurfer, Barassie Beach, Troon ©Jenny Thompson - stock.adobe.com

Each summer Troon hosts a music festival, Live@Troon, organised by a charitable trust to promote local musicians.

Troon looks out across the Firth of Clyde to the scenic Isle of Arran which can easily be reached by ferry from nearby Saltcoats.

Troon Marina
Troon Marina ©Stuart Little - stock.adobe.com

Fullarton House was the grand home of the Duke of Portland.

Although the house was demolished in 1966, the grounds are a beautiful park with ornamental pediments, walled gardens and stables which were designed by Robert Adam.

The remains of Crosbie Castle can still be seen in Fullerton Park.

South Beach, Troon
South Beach, Troon © Dennis M Bradley

The castle was rebuilt three times but eventually, the stonework was used to build Fullerton House.

Only the dungeons now remain and were part of the ice house, kept cool by an underground stream.

 

Share this page




Self Catering


more self catering near Troon...

Copyright © 1999-2025 Excelsior Information Systems Ltd. All rights reserved.
About Us  Press Room  Terms of Use  Privacy  Link to Us  Index  Site Map  Contact Us

Made with Responsive Grid System by Graham Miller