Walk: Brown Carrick Hill – caravans, crabs & castle

📌 Dunure, South Ayrshire
★★★

This ascent of Brown Carrick Hill combines a grassy Ayrshire summit with a beguiling section of the Ayrshire coastal way, starting from the lovely fishing village of Dunure – complete with its ruined castle and harbour. Finding the right day requires a bit of planning – sections of the coast path are tidal – but hopefully you’ll have a few minutes spare to dabble in the rock pools: crabs of all shapes and sizes guaranteed! Before all that though, you’ve a small hill to climb, with excellent views all the way into the Highlands from the broad summit on a clear day.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish at Dunure harbour

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NS 254160

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.406714,-4.759199

🚌 Bus to Dunure

🚗 Car park / street parking

📝 Key info

▶ 14 km / 9 mi | ▲ 350 m | ⌛ 4-4.5 hr

Features: 🏠 Dunure ★★; 🏰 Dunure Castle ★★; △ Brown Carrick Hill (287 m, sub-2000′ Marilyn); 🌊 Ayrshire coastline

⬤ Moderate | Paths (variety of surfaces), tracks, roads (mostly quiet or with pavement). Sustained ascent from Dunure, but not too steep; very short boggy sections. Short parts of the coastal section are submerged for up to a couple of hours either side of high tide.

➡️ Anticlockwise circuit: start, Dunure & harbour – Dunure Castle & labyrinth – Fisherton – track junction just before Dunduff Farm – Brown Carrick Hill – radio masts – road to east – Heads of Ayr caravan park – start via coast path

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Sheep & lambs, cows, roe deer. Rock pool life & seabirds on coastal stretch. Biting horseflies on the hill.

Weather: Sunshine with temperature in mid-20s, but a light sea breeze for most of the walk.

July 2018