Glasgow Parks

Eglinton Country Park

Location: Kilwinning, Ayrshire

Grade: Easy woodland and riverside walk

Distance: 3 miles/5km

Time: 2 hours

The lands of Eglinton, between Kilwinning and Irvine in Ayrshire, were held by the Montgomerie family for many centuries. As a reward for service to King Iames IV, they were granted the title Earls of Eglinton in the 16th century. At the end of the 18th century Hugh, the 12th Earl, decided he needed a new house and commissioned John Patterson to design it.

Patterson came up with an ambitious plan for four high corner towers linked by ranges of rooms and with a central courtyard.The house was finished in 1802 and in keeping with the style of the times, was called a castle though it never had any defensive purpose. The family’s fortunes later declined after a number of unfortunate schemes including a plan for a canal from Glasgow to the Ayrshire coast with a new harbour at Ardrossan, and the castle was abandoned.

All that remains today is one tower and some fragments of wall, but from that your imagination can build a truly grand edifice. The castle reached the peak of its fame in 1839. Queen Victoria had come to the throne two years earlier and was due to be crowned, but it was a time of austerity and the government decided that an extravagant Coronation was neither desirable nor affordable. Archibald, 13th Earl of Eglinton, had other ideas. He felt strongly that the new queen’s reign should be marked in proper style and decided to organise a medieval style Tournament.

The event, held in late August, was planned on a vast scale and aroused huge public interest.

One estimate says that as many as 100,000 people attended. Some came by the new railway, opened a few days earlier, others by steamer from Glasgow.

Unfortunately the weather did not co-operate. There was persistent rain and the second day was washed out completely. At the end the Earl was, perhaps diplomatically, voted the Victor and was presented (four yearslater!) with a huge, ornate silver trophy.

There is an echo of the occasion still to be seen. Much of the walk described here follows the Lugton Water, which is crossed, near the castle site, by the Tournament Bridge, an elaborate Victorian structure painted white. Designed by David Hamilton, it actually post-dates the Tournament but is very much in the style of the period.

Eglinton today is an extensive Country Park run by North Ayrshire Council. There is a network of walking, cycling and horse-riding trails and the park hosts a busy programme of events, many of them run in co-operation with the Friends of Eglinton. There is fishing on the loch and a great children’s play park. The visitor centre is closed in the Winter but the excellent Tournament Cafe remains open.

While acknowledging its richly historical past, Eglinton is looking forward to a future firmly linked to the local community. It is a great place to visit at any time of year, and offers an easy escape to the countryside in the winter months when you may not wish to travel further afield.