The village of Dunure sits quietly
on the coast just south of Ayr.
Dunure is half way between Ayr and Culzean Castle, the National Trust for Scotland’s most popular destination in South West Scotland.
This website is designed to be a source of information for the people of Dunure –
and for our welcome visitors.
- Dunure RemembersA ceremony to commemorate those who lost their lives in World War… Read more: Dunure Remembers
- Keen Photographer captures images of DunureI’m sure we have all seen ‘that perfect shot’ when out and… Read more: Keen Photographer captures images of Dunure
- South Ayrshire to promote Gaelic in schoolsA five year plan to increase the use of Gaelic in South… Read more: South Ayrshire to promote Gaelic in schools
- Maps of Dunure over timeThese videos show Dunure on the map, to be precise, on old… Read more: Maps of Dunure over time
- Clocks go back!The clocks go back tonight (25th October). Officially the clock changes at… Read more: Clocks go back!
Live Bus Timetable
Stagecoach’s ‘live link’ for the next bus into Ayr.
From Carrick Street to Dunure.
Bin Collection Days
Brown bins no longer included in standard collections.
An extra cost permit for garden waste lasts a year and can be bought here.
DUNURE – THE VILLAGE
Dunure is on the A719 coast road leading south of Ayr, nestling into the coastline just south of the cliffs of the Heads of Ayr. If you are heading our way, use KA7 4LW for your SatNav and it will take you directly to parking in Kennedy Park.
Dunure has rightly been described as the best preserved of the fishing villages along the Clyde coast, as you will see if you take a short walk down to the harbour. There are still active fishing boats amongst the numous leisure craft which populate the harbour, and at the right time of day you can see the boats returning to the harbour with a catch to discharge. These days the catch is mainly lobster and crab with the occasional mackeral for home consumption.
In happier days Dunure was one of the busiest harbours in the South West when the herring fishery was in its heyday, with up to 30 boats berthing. This is one of the rare colour pictures from these times.
There are local folks who can give you chapter and verse on each of these boats, the men who sailed in them, and the family stories and legends which go with each.
Fishing breeds tight-knit communities.
The unique Beacon guards the harbour entrance, designed to guide returning boats into the harbour.
If the door is in view, the boat is on the safe route into the harbour.
Too far north and dangerous rocks lie in wait…
Fishing isn’t just about the boats and the men. The women of the village did the vital work of baiting the long lines, getting up at 2:00 in the morning to have the lines ready for the boats catching the tide, then at the other end of the day carrying the fish in baskets to sell in Ayr, Maybole or other neighbouring villages as told in ‘The Fisher Folk of Carrick‘.
One way fishermen could find fish before the days of echo-sounders was by watching for where the gannets were ‘streching’ – diving in to a shoal of fish. At the right time of year you can still enjoy the graceful agility of the gannets ‘streching’ for fish, with nearby Ailsa Craig home to one of the world’s largest colonies of gannets with around 70,000 breeding pairs.
Other sealife you may see includes such things as rare sightings of basking sharks and dolphins when they come close inshore.
If you park in Kennedy Park (KA7 4LW) you will have fantastic views over towards Arran, Ailsa Craig, and even as far as the coast of Ireland on a clear day.
The park is named after the Kennedy family, Earls of Cassilis, who owned Dunure Castle. They had it built in the 1200s and it was their stronghold of for centuries.
A ‘Doocot’ sits beside the castle with roosts for about 200 birds.
The birds supplied a reliable source of eggs and meat for the laird and his retenue throughout the year.
The Scots word for a pidgeon is a ‘doo’: in gaelic it is a ‘calman’.
Dunure has very interesting geology, with a wide variety of rocks and minerals visible along the shore and cliffs.
Particulary of interest are the Agates which Dunure is famed for, as outlined by local author Dr David Anderson whose book on the subject is much prized by connosieurs.
Agates can be found by the sharp-eyed walking along the beach if they know what to look for.
The history, geography and geology of Dunure was written about extensively by Roy Storie, a local resident who just happened to be head teacher of Prestwick Academy. His booklet is full of fascinating insights into the village and its history right back to the Bronze Age and beyond.
Another local man, Andy Guthrie, took the initiative to design and built the Dunure Labyrinth, a place for contemplation and being at one with nature in the inspiring setting of Scotland’s West Coast.
Photography was one of Andy’s many talents, and he compiled this photo montage of the people of Dunure in the past.