Honest Men and Bonnie Lassies: A Stroll through Historical Ayr

(13 reviews)

Ayr audio tour: Honest Men and Bonnie Lassies: A Stroll through Historical Ayr

This is a 1mi walking tour

It takes an average of 40 mins to complete.

Ayr

The United Kingdom

$5.99

Access all 28 locations offline with the VoiceMap app

Buy for a Group

Reviews

About the Tour

Trace the history of Ayr from a fortress 800 years ago to a county town, royal burgh, garrison, and the administrative centre of Scotland today.

The Ayr you see today is a bustling shopping centre, but if you scrape back just a few layers you’ll discover reminders of years gone by. On this walking tour, you’ll travel back in time to explore some of the town’s amazing architecture, as well as its murky underbelly.

Along the way, you’ll hear stories about the town’s past and the people that shaped it, including:

Robert Burns, the bard
The betrayal and torture of Cornelius Anderson
Maggie Osborne and her witchcraft
Why John Loudon McAdam isn’t really the father of the tar road
The ingenious method devised to thwart body snatchers in the 1800s

There’s much more than meets the eye on these quaint streets, so let’s get stuck in and see what we can find!

Tour Producer

Kris McCulloch

1 tour

Hi, I'm Kris, a resident of Ayr since birth. I've long since been fascinated with the history and tales of this historic royal burgh.

As well as being enchanted by the history of Ayr, I am also an avid genealogist and father of three.

Preview Location

Location 1

Carnegie Library

Welcome to this historical walking tour of Auld Ayr.

You should be standing in front of the steps leading up to the Carnegie Library, the imposing two storey red sandstone building.

Before we get started, let's spend a few moments here in front of the library, while I pr... Read More

View locations and route

How VoiceMap Works

Focus on your surroundings, not the screen

The VoiceMap app uses GPS to play audio automatically, at the right time and place, so you can focus on your surroundings, not the screen.

Follow a route with turn-by-turn-directions

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a fixed starting point. That lets us give turn-by-turn directions and use context to tell a better story.

Resume playback to go at your own pace

If you'd like to stop for a drink or go into a museum, end your tour then use the Resume feature to pick up exactly where you left off.

Listen as many times as you like

You can listen to your tours as often as you like using both the VoiceMap app and website.

Take virtual tours anywhere, like a podcast

Select Virtual mode in the VoiceMap app to listen to tours like a podcast - at home or in transit.

Buy for less on voicemap.me and sync

Once you've purchased a tour, it's added to your VoiceMap library. To access it in the app, just sign in using the same account.

Do tours without paying for data

Tours work offline, so you don't have to pay roaming fees. Just download them over WiFi before you get started.

Major Landmarks

Auld Kirk Of Ayr
St. John's Tower
Carnegie Library
Loudoun Hall
Auld Brig
The Black Bull
The Wool Sak
34 Newmarket St
Ayr Grammar Primary School

View all

Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
12 Main St, Ayr KA8 8EB, UK
Total distance

2km
Final location
1 Boat Vennal, Ayr KA7 1HR, UK
Distance back to start location

183.47m

Directions to Starting Point

Our tour starts at Carnegie Library at 12 Main Street. This is within walking distance of the town centre and is well signposted throughout the town.

Show Directions

Gift vouchers

Buy tours for friends and family who delight in discovery

Buy Now

Buy for a group

Get 15% to 50% off when you buy for a group

Buy Now

License this tour

Adapt this tour to use your brand and suit your guests

Find out more

Tips

Places to stop along the way

Auld Kirk of Ayr, St Johns Tower, Loudon Hall

Best time of day

This tour is ideal for an afternoon or early evening walk.

Precautions

Some of the roadways are uneven on this walk. Please ensure you are wearing sensible shoes.

Get The App

Download tours to use them offline

Listen hands-free with GPS playback

Get turn-by-turn directions

Scan the QR Code

“This app has become my go-to app for audio tours. I pretty much use it for every trip and it works wonderfully. I highly recommend VoiceMap for travelers to truly experience cities.”

App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”