{"id":1587,"date":"2019-11-29T13:59:03","date_gmt":"2019-11-29T13:59:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/?p=1587"},"modified":"2020-12-09T11:05:51","modified_gmt":"2020-12-09T11:05:51","slug":"the-five-minutes-spare-guide-to-irvine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/the-five-minutes-spare-guide-to-irvine\/","title":{"rendered":"The Five Minutes Spare Guide To Irvine"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you have been to the wet and wild west coast of Scotland, then Irvine is the third place you will have stopped, after Ayr and, if the Viking festival is on, then Largs, too.<\/p>\n

\"Irvine

Irvine Harbour
Image: jennyt\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Irvine is pretty. It\u2019s seaside pretty\u2026 yellow and red striped deck chairs and chips in the rain. It\u2019s like Ayr but classy. It\u2019s just about as ancient, as well. It sits on the south coast of the Firth of Clyde, and grew rapidly back in the industrial revolution when shipbuilding became a huge industry in the area. After the shipyards closed Irvine remained. Why? We don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

Brief History.<\/h3>\n

People have lived in Dreghorn<\/a> now a suburb of Irvine for hundreds of years and as time passed it grew to swallows up groups of cottages or villages so eventually becoming Royal Burgh and latterly a New Town. According to the 2011 census, it is now the largest settlement in North Ayrshire.<\/p>\n

In the good old days, Irvine was an important military centre in the West. This may have had something to do with the pesky clans Donald and MacLean<\/a>; who frequently raided along the coastline and stole away Irvine women\u2026 Don\u2019t judge. That was just how you went about getting a wife back then. When Robert the Bruce rebelled against King John I, it was Irvine that he seized. As a seat of military power, the king\u2019s lordship, and the seat of the Lord High Constable in Scotland; Irvine was an important place in historic Scotland. To this day the remains of Seagate Castle overlooks some of the oldest streets in Irvine.<\/p>\n

\"Irvine

The remains of Seagate Castle are still a feature in the town.
Image: James McDowall\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n

So if you were only in this historically marvellous town for a day or two, which sights should you see? Let\u2019s get up close and personal with Irvine. It\u2019s a classy place so we won\u2019t catch anything.<\/p>\n

Irvine At-a-Glance<\/h2>\n

So what\u2019re the best things about Irvine? Obviously the people, but asides from them here are the top 5 sights to see in Irvine, North Ayrshire.<\/p>\n

The Scottish Maritime Museum<\/a><\/h3>\n

This is a very cool place where budding boaters can head to earn how to build and repair their own vessel. Seriously. They run costumed tours, workshops, exhibits\u2026. You name it. After the Highland Clearances when the farmland was cleared of cottagers to make way for sheep; many of them moved south and out to the coast. The clearances left a lot of people with no choice but to become fishermen. The museum at Irvine is a testament to that \u2013 but also focuses on Scotland\u2019s long and proud history as the ship producers of the UK.<\/p>\n

Dundonald Castle<\/a><\/h3>\n
\"Dundonald

The remains of Dundonald Castle
Image: Jazman\/Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n

Billed as one of Scotland\u2019s \u2018most unexplored castles\u2019 (I mean seriously, who on Earth is writing for their marketing department? Send it to us!) This easy enough to reach the castle is just outside of Irvine but is a huge visitor centre. It was once home to Robert the Bruce<\/a> himself and has been lovingly restored in part to represent how it would look back then. The castle was built in the 14h century\u2026. Which was around about the time when he hundred years war started, to give you some perspective.<\/p>\n

\"DUNDONALD

View of the inside.
Image Richard Semik\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Eglinton Country Park<\/a><\/h3>\n

Rated as the second-best thing to do in Irvine according to rip Advisor, Eglinton Country Park has everything you need for a fun day out with the kids in nature. Take a hike and choose any number of trails, help volunteer and learn about conservation, go fishing, hire an event space, or eat at their caf\u00e9. It\u2019s like when you go on holiday to one of those all-inclusive places, except that you still have to pay for your drinks.<\/p>\n

Irvine Beach<\/a><\/h3>\n

OK, so there\u2019s not much to it. It\u2019s a sandy stretch of coastline that has been cleaned up in recent years so that the locals can use it again. It\u2019s a nice area; the rocks don\u2019t really start until further south. There are toilets, games in summer; the town\u2019s amenities are right across the road\u2026 in summer this is where everyone local flocks while the tourists flood Ayr<\/a> to the south.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Even on a cloudy day the beach is worth a visit. Wrap up though as it can get windswept later in the year.
James McDowall\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Where to Eat, Drink and Party in Irvine?<\/h2>\n

If you are looking for family food then try the Porthead Tavern and Hamiltons Restaurant<\/a>. If you want fine dining then Adesso<\/a> or the Niche Restaurant<\/a> are both solid choices. You will find the best pub in town at Harbour Lights<\/a>. The best nightlife can be found by visiting Pitcher\u2019s Bar and Nightclub<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Other Notable Irvine Attractions<\/h2>\n

That\u2019s not all that Irvine has to offer. You will find all sorts of other attractions that we simply couldn\u2019t fit on the page. Some of these (but not all) include:<\/p>\n