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Alloway is a village on the outskirts of Ayr and is famous for being the birthplace of Scotland’s Baird, Robert Burns. You can visit the home in which Burns was born, restored to the way it looked when Burns was a child. Visiting his childhood home is almost like the beginning of a pilgrimage for many Burns enthusiast and fans.

Alloway is the setting of one of Burns’ most famous poems, Tam o’ Shanter.  For anyone who has read the poem, taking a walk around the village can be very entertaining. To learn more about Burns and the Tam o’ Shanter poem, there is also a visitor centre with a Tam o’ Shanter experience, it is best to do this before you tour the village.  After visiting Burns Cottage and visiting the centre, you can visit the Auld Kirk, where Tam saw the witches dancing with the “deil”. You can also visit the Brig o’ Doon , a late medieval bridge over the pretty river Doon, where Tam’s poor horse Meg loses her tail, when they manage to escape the Nannie witch.  A Burns monument and gardens finish off a tour of the village quite nicely.