Walk: Byne Hill panorama

📌 Girvan, South Ayrshire
★★★

🛠️ I haven’t walked this route for a while and would welcome recent reports on the ascent route given here – it may now be possible to pass through Brochneil Farm instead (April 2024)

Byne Hill’s rocky northeast ridge is a delight – short-cropped grass alternating with scrambly conglomerate knolls. Owing to local access issues this is an underused route to the top, which is blessed with superb views towards Girvan, Arran and Ailsa Craig. The return leads past a ramshackle memorial to an Archibald Crauford of the local estate, surrounded by curious ponies when we visited. A straightforward track gently descends through typical Ayrshire farmland back to the start – the catch: how do you get from the start to that lovely ascent ridge? Access tracks via Daltippan Farm or Brochneil breaker’s yard are probably out of the question, which leaves a traverse along field boundaries.

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish at Shalloch Mill, A77 2 mi south of Girvan

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NX 179957

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.221632,-4.864542

🚌 Bus stops on A714 at cemetery (0.5 mi), or train / bus to Girvan (2 mi via coast path)

🚗 Small car park

📝 Key info

▶ 5 km / 3 mi | ▲ 270 m | ⌛ 2 hr

Features: △ Byne Hill (214 m); ✞ Crauford Monument

⬤ Moderate | Grassy field edges to base of ridge, then grassy footpath with odd rocky outcrops for ascent to summit and descent to monument. Good track for return.

➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – Myoch Bridge on A77 – stile at 🧭 NX 180952 – base of northeast ridge – Byne Hill – Crauford Monument – Myoch Bridge – start

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Ponies around the monument, sheep lower down.

Weather: Dry with generous sunshine, slight breeze on the summit. Temperature in mid teens.

September 2015