Straiton, South Ayrshire
★★★
You are now entering Rambling Territory, warned the sign as you enter Straiton village, written in a slightly ominous font. Happily, Straiton itself is anything but ominous, and this is indeed one of Ayrshire’s better short walk bases: the hills round here seem to have a friendly intimacy that’s occasionally lacking elsewhere in the county. The map at the car park shows several routes, with this circuit on both sides of the Water of Girvan probably the best one. Tackle it in an anticlockwise direction to save the best views until last, from the monolith on Craigengower dedicated to Colonel Hunter Blair. On the wetter west side of the glen, fallen trees and overgrown vegetation mean the signposted detour to Bennan Hill isn’t really worth the effort. Straiton’s village pub possibly serves food, but with no menu or website available we tried the nearby Kirkmichael Arms instead – where we enjoyed one of the best meals we’d had for a while.
Chronological photo guide
Location
O.S. Grid Reference: NS 379050
GPS coordinates: 55.311859,-4.555438
Bus to Straiton
Car park
Key info
7 km / 4 mi | ▲ 290 m |
2-2.5 hr
Features:
Straiton; △ Craigengower west top (325 m); ✞ Colonel Hunter Blair’s Monument
⬤ Moderate | Often good paths and tracks, though very wet between Curroch Wood and Craigfad. Ascent of Craigengower is steep with intermittent paths (though wooden posts show the way higher up) – path is clear but steeper for the descent.
Anticlockwise circuit: start – footbridge over Water of Girvan – Bennan Farm – Bennan Wood – Curroch Wood – Craigfad – Culdoch – Craigengower & Colonel Hunter Blair’s Monument – Barbellie Wood – Straiton – start. Route mostly signposted
On our last visit
Wildlife: Lots of sheep & birds, cows at Bennan Farm.
Weather: Dry & often sunny, breezy higher up. Ground partially frozen with air temperature a few degrees above freezing.
February 2016
