A little inspiration for the road

Scenic drives near Ayr

Discover the closest published Remapped drives to Ayr, Scotland. Routes are ordered by their nearest point to the town centre and may start elsewhere. Distances to routes are approximate straight-line distances, not driving distances. Roads featured include A710, A711, A747.

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26–313 milesRoute distances

39–605 minEstimated driving

6Circular routes

Short on time? Duke’s Pass and Lake of Menteith Loop has the shortest estimated drive in this collection, at 39 minutes before stops.

Dumfries and Galloway and Ayrshire, Scotland

South West Coastal 300: Coast and Southern Uplands

313 miles10 hr 5 minCircular

Closest point on route: 2 miles from Ayr · straight-line distance

Follow the established South West Coastal 300 driving track through the Galloway coast, Solway country, southern uplands and Ayrshire. This complete multi-day draft follows the tourism authority’s published roads with optional stop spurs removed, with town and landscape visits planned around the journey.

Along the way

Solway and Galloway coast
Ayrshire coast
Southern uplands

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Dumfries and South Lanarkshire, Scotland

Dalveen Pass, Mennock Pass and the Lowther Hills Loop

38 miles1 hr 15 minCircular

Closest point on route: 31 miles from Ayr · straight-line distance

Cross the Lowther Hills using the A702 Dalveen Pass and return through Leadhills, Wanlockhead and Mennock. This road-led loop pairs a broad main-road pass with a more intimate upland crossing.

Along the way

Dalveen Pass
Mennock Pass

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Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

Galloway Forest and Loch Ken Loop

66 miles1 hr 29 minCircular

Closest point on route: 31 miles from Ayr · straight-line distance

Make a southwest Scotland circuit from Castle Douglas through the Loch Ken area and across the forest road towards Newton Stewart. Return by the southern corridor for a broad loop with woodland, hills and lower farmland.

Along the way

Queen’s Way forest road
Loch Ken corridor

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Argyll, Scotland

Kintyre 66: East and West Coast Driving Loop

64 miles2 hr 9 minCircular

Closest point on route: 34 miles from Ayr · straight-line distance

Drive the core Kintyre 66 circuit down the eastern coast and back along the western side. The B842 supplies the slower coastal section before the A83 opens out on the return; promoted sightseeing spurs are kept off the driving line.

Along the way

Kilbrannan Sound
West Kintyre coast

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Dumfries and Scottish Borders, Scotland

A701 Devils Beef Tub: Dumfries to Edinburgh

67 miles1 hr 55 minPoint-to-point

Closest point on route: 44 miles from Ayr · straight-line distance

Follow the A701 from Dumfries through Moffat and over the Devil’s Beef Tub into the upper Tweed country. The drive finishes near Edinburgh’s southern approach, keeping the rural through-road as its focus.

Along the way

Devils Beef Tub
Upper Tweed Valley

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Scottish Borders and Dumfries, Scotland

Talla, Megget and St Marys Loch Mountain Loop

44 miles1 hr 45 minCircular

Closest point on route: 44 miles from Ayr · straight-line distance

Link the A708 and A701 with the narrow hill road between Megget and Talla reservoirs. This compact mountain circuit combines loch-country driving with the Devil’s Beef Tub approach, without adding reservoir access spurs.

Along the way

Talla Reservoir
St Marys Loch

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Scottish Borders and Dumfries, Scotland

Moffat and St Mary’s Loch

34 miles46 minPoint-to-point

Closest point on route: 48 miles from Ayr · straight-line distance

Follow the A708 from Moffat through the hills towards St Mary’s Loch, continuing along the valley towards Selkirk. This Borders crossing combines enclosed bends with broader loch and hill-country sections.

Along the way

St Mary’s Loch road

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Stirling, Scotland

Duke’s Pass and Lake of Menteith Loop

26 miles39 minCircular

Closest point on route: 50 miles from Ayr · straight-line distance

Climb through the wooded bends of Duke’s Pass from Aberfoyle, continue through the Trossachs towards Callander, then return by the Lake of Menteith area. This circuit contrasts forested hills with gentler lowland roads.

Along the way

Duke’s Pass

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Make a day of it.

Driving times exclude stops. Leave time for the views, check each route’s notes and make the journey your own.

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Before you head out

Frequently asked questions

About the drives in this collection.

Which drive passes closest to this location?

South West Coastal 300: Coast and Southern Uplands has the closest point on a route in this selection, approximately 2 miles from Ayr in a straight line. This is not the distance to the route start or a driving-distance estimate.

Which is the shortest drive in this collection?

Duke’s Pass and Lake of Menteith Loop is the shortest by route distance, at 26 miles, with an estimated driving time of 39 min. Allow extra time for stops and the journey to the route.

Which is the longest drive in this collection?

South West Coastal 300: Coast and Southern Uplands is the longest by route distance, at 313 miles. Its estimated driving time is 10 hr 5 min, excluding stops and travel to the route.

Are there circular drives in this collection?

6 routes start and finish in the same place, including South West Coastal 300: Coast and Southern Uplands. Check the route map to find a convenient starting point.

Can I customise one of these drives?

Yes. Open a drive and choose Customise this route to edit a copy in the road trip planner. Sign in to customise; Premium is required to save your version. You can change stops or plan several days.

Frequently asked questions

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