Go walking and discover the history of Barr on a day out by bus from Girvan

If you’re staying in Girvan for a few days or more, you might want to spend some time exploring the stunning South Ayrshire surroundings. One easy way to do that is by taking the scheduled Girvan to Barr bus which runs five times a day, four days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday).

The South Ayrshire Community Transport bus travels through rolling hills and scenic roads on its 25-minute journey to the historic village of Barr, notable for its forest walking and cycling trails. A cheery driver and a chance to interact with friendly locals makes for a memorable travel experience – you can even take your dog with you (we did) – another of our many dog-friendly Girvan options!

We recently hopped on board the bus and spent some time exploring Barr before returning to Girvan later that day. We wanted to share how we got on and let you know about some of the highlights we discovered to help you plan your own day out.

We got the morning CB8 bus service departing from Girvan harbour. If you check the timetable out, you can see where the other Girvan stops are. We were warmly welcomed by driver, Willie, who also gave us some tips about things to see and do locally. Ticket payment is by contactless card or cash.

25 minutes later we had left the sea behind and arrived in a valley surrounded by hills and forests. If you’re a keen walker, Barr has numerous trails to choose from which start approx 1km from the village centre.

We opted to follow one of the forest walks, followed by a meander around the picturesque village.

There are numerous points of interest in the village to look out for including a human sundial, a historic kirkyard, bowling green. children’s playpark and village hall with public toilets. One landmark you can’t miss is the Kirk Angus clock tower that looms above Barr. The former kirk is now a private dwelling but the landmark tower dating back to 1894 remains in the ownership of the village.

When you’ve worked up an appetite, the dog-friendly Barr Community Shop & Cafe has a lunch menu and home-baked cakes that you can enjoy sitting in, or taking away if you prefer to sit at a picnic table by the river. There is also a range of locally handcrafted goods if you are after a unique souvenir.

After a day of walking and exploring this under-the-radar but fascinating part of Ayrshire, we caught the afternoon bus from Barr, arriving back in Girvan before teatime. The CB8 bus service is a great way to get around and enjoy a truly local travel experience in South Ayrshire.