North Ayrshire Council - 54 Attractions You Must Visit

The Heritage Centre is housed in the former Ardrossan Parish Church which was built in 1773 on the site of an earlier church of 1744. North Ayrshire Museum was established in 1957 by Owen Kelly, a local businessman, to preserve items of local interest. It was run as a private concern until 1975 when Cunninghame District Council shouldered the responsibility of looking after the building and collection. In 2010 the Museum merged with Local and Family History Library to become the North Ayrshire H

Saint Nectan's Glen is an area of woodland in Trethevy near Tintagel, north Cornwall stretching for around one mile along both banks of the Trevillet River. The glen's most prominent feature is St Nectan's Kieve, a spectacular sixty foot waterfall through a hole in the rocks. The site attracts tourists who believe it to be "one of the UK's most spiritual sites," and tie or place ribbons, crystals, photographs, small piles of flat stones and other materials near the waterfall.

Pladda is home to an attractive lighthouse that was first lit in October 1790 and joined the lights on the Mull of Kintyre, Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde, and Copeland light on the Irish coast. To allow Mariners to distinguish it from the other lights, Pladda had to show a lower light from a small lantern 20 feet below the original one – an arrangement that was soon made permanent and was to operate for more than 100 years.

Portencross Castle, also known historically as Portincross Castle, is situated in Portencross, on the west coast of Scotland, about 3 km from West Kilbride. The site has been fortified since the 11th Century. The present tower castle is thought to date from the mid-14th Century and later. It remained in use until it was unroofed by a great storm in 1739 and gradually became ruinous. The castle was designated as a scheduled ancient monument in 1955.

The Scottish Maritime Museum is an industrial museum with a Collection Recognised as Nationally Significant to Scotland. The museum is an independent museum operated by a charitable trust: the Scottish Maritime Museum Trust. It became operational in 1983. It is located at two sites in the West of Scotland in Irvine and Dumbarton, with a focus on Scotland's shipbuilding heritage.

Seagate Castle is a fortified mansion built by Hugh Montgomerie, the 3rd earl of Eglinton in 1565. It is the third castle on this site near the River Irvine and is the oldest structure in Irvine. The castle overlooks the oldest street in Irvine, which was once the main route between the town and the old harbour at Seagatefoot, which by 1606, was useless and abandoned due to silting. The remains of the castle are protected as a scheduled ancient monument.

Shiskine Golf & Tennis Club was founded in 1896 and is located in the village of Blackwaterfoot, on the beautiful west coast of the Isle of Arran.The course itself has 12 holes and is a seaside links course with wonderful views. Always in great condition, the greens staff take great pride in the course and work very hard to maintain it to a very high standard. We were founded in 1896 and have many “blind” holes with names such as the “Crows Nest” and the “Himalayas”.

St Molios Church stands next to the main road through the village of Shiskine, the only significant settlement on the Isle of Arran not sited on the coast. Popularly known as the "Red Church", for obvious reasons, it was built in 1889 by the architect Sir John James Burnet. The process by which the church came to be dedicated to St Molaise is a complex one. Molios was an Irish monk called Molaise who, in the late 500s spent some years in a cave on Holy Island in Lamlash Bay, on the east side of

Stanecastle was a medieval barony and estate in North Ayrshire, Scotland, first mentioned in 1363 and now part of the Irvine New Town project. Its nearest neighbours are Bourtreehill and Girdle Toll. In the middle-ages, Stanecastle gave way to the ever expanding Eglinton Empire and William Francis of Stane passed his estate on to the Earls of Eglinton in the 15th century. Campbell states that the present castle was built in 1520 by Montgomerie of Greenfield, a cadet branch.

Stevenston is a sandy beach curving gently round a bay between Irvine and Saltcoats. The beach is backed by low, grassy dunes and lies in an area which has been designated as a Local Nature Reserve. The dunes here are a local Nature Reserve with an all abilities path and bridge. It is ranked as the fifth most important sand dune system in Ayrshire.

The Barony Centre is a stunning conversion of an old church and winner of several architectural awards. It was set within a wonderfully restored church, The Barony Centre boasts an impressive Exhibition space; 2 upstairs studios and a meeting room that are available to hire; a Gallery Shop offering an eclectic range of work by local and national Makers and Artists; and an award winning Cafe.

The island has a long history as a sacred site, with a spring or holy well held to have healing properties, the hermit cave of 6th century monk St Molaise, and evidence of a 13th-century monastery. An old Gaelic name for the island was Eilean MoLaise, Molaise's Island; this is the origin of "Lamlash", the name of the village on Arran that faces Holy Island. There is a regular ferry service from Lamlash, and the island is popular with holiday makers staying on Arran.

A majestic museum which was home of the Irvine Burns Club. The museum offers a range of exhibits, artwork and information relating to the life and work of Scotland’s National Bard. Members of the club also volunteer their services to give visitors guided