Cycling in Ayrshire ranges from the flat coastal NCN73 along the Ayr and Prestwick promenades to forestry MTB trails further inland. The coastal routes are family-friendly and traffic-free; the inland options need more fitness and weather awareness.
The picks below cover both road and off-road. Road cycling weights rain heavily in the scoring (wet roads are slow and slick), while MTB is more forgiving.
Straiton, South Ayrshire
Waymarked forest trails on the northern edge of Galloway Forest Park.
Ayr to Prestwick, South Ayrshire
Flat traffic-free cycle along the Ayr and Prestwick promenades. Great for families and beginners.
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
The northern section of National Cycle Route 73 connects Kilmarnock to the ferry terminal at Ardrossan via a mixture of traffic-free railway paths and quiet road sections, with the Kilmarnock-Irvine leg following a disused railway trackbed. Part of the National Cycle Network maintained with the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans).