Ayrshire, on the south west coast of Scotland has always been a popular short break destination and in recent years it has got easier and easier to get to with the growth of low cost airlines, fast ferries from Ireland and improved rail and road connections including the new M77 motorway linking Glasgow with Ayrshire.
It is now well within a couple of hour's reach of much of Europe making it the perfect short break or golf destination.
The Isle of Arran is connected to Ayrshire via the fifty five minute crossing on Cal Mac ferries from Ardrossan to Brodick or from the Mull of Kintyre from Clonaig.
You can click on the link to take to you to a detailed map of Gailes Hotel and Google Local
The following information should be of some help in planning your journey to Ayrshire and Arran.
By Road
From The South follow M74 to junction 8. Take A71 to Irvine. At Warrix Interchange take left for Ayr and Troon to Newhouse Interchange then bear right for Harbourside. The Gailes Restaurant and Hotel is situated on Marine Drive.
From The North follow M77/A77 to Kilmarnock Bellfield Interchange. Take A71 for Irvine then directions as above.
From Ayr take the A77 to Dutch House Roundabout and follow A78 to Irvine. Exit at the Newhouse interchange and follow signs for Harbourside.
Glasgow Prestwick International Airport
Prestwick Airport is located around 23 miles from Glasgow and is connected to the city by road and rail. With the recent opening of the new M77 Ayrshire is now less than thirty minutes drive from Glasgow city centre. Prestwick Airport is only a few minutes from Troon and Ayr and well connected to the rest of Ayrshire by an excellent road network.
Low cost airline Ryanair fly into Prestwick from London Stansted, Bournemouth and Dublin and Shannon in Ireland. They also fly in from Scandinavia; Gothenburg and Stockholm Skavsta in Sweden and Oslo in Norway. There are now three flights from Germany (Frankfurt Hahn, Hamburg and Dusseldorf), Brussels Charleroi in Belgium and Paris Beauvais bringing together the Auld Alliance of France and Scotland. Italy is connected via Rome Ciampino, Pisa and Milan Orio al Serio; Spain has flights from Girona and Murcia.
P&O Irish Ferries run the fast ferry operation from Larne into Troon. The crossing takes less than two hours from Ireland to Scotland from March to September on the reliable P&O Express fast craft. Time on board may be short but you'll enjoy a host of facilities including restaurant, bar, gift shop and children's play area.
Troon is just a 10-minute drive from Ayr and 3o minutes to the city of Glasgow, offering a whole range of destinations within easy reach. P&O Irish Ferries bookings can be made online at www.poirishsea.com
Stena Line have both ferry and fast craft sailings between Belfast City Centre to Stranraer. The sailing takes about ninety minutes on the HSS fast ferry and the drive to the heart of Ayrshire less than an hour. Bookings can be made online at www.stenaline.co.uk
Glasgow Airport
Glasgow Airport is situated to the west of the city making Ayrshire easily accessible from the airport. Glasgow Airport has international flights direct from the United States, Canada, Dubai and throughout Europe and the UK with airlines flying inbound including easyJet, flyglobespan, British Airways, Air Canada, Emirates, Aer Lingus, Flybe, British Midland and Air Scotland.
The airport is now connected by motorway all the way to Ayrshire on the M77 in less than thirty minutes.
"Cal Mac", as they are affectionately known, sail to twenty-two islands and four peninsulas on Scotland's West Coast. From Arran in the south to Lewis in the north, their network covers some of the most beautiful and dramatic places in Scotland allowing you to get away from it all by ferry and discover a different world. Feries can be easily booked online and advance reservations are recommended for may routes.
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