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Name: | Ailsa Craig |
Hill number: | 1731 |
Height: | 339m / 1112ft |
RHB Section: | 27B: Carrick and Galloway |
County/UA: | South Ayrshire |
Island: | Mono Tump island |
Class: | Marilyn, Hump, Tump (300-399m), SIB, Yeaman (Ma,Hu,Tu,3,SIB,Y) |
Grid ref: | NX 01907 99833 |
Summit feature: | outcrop 15m NW of trig point |
Drop: | 339m |
Col: | Sea |
OS map sheet(s): | (1:50k) 76 (1:25k) 317 |
Observations: | outcrop is 10cm higher than trig point flush bracket; trig point is at NX 01917 99825 |
Survey: | Abney level |
Change log: | show changes for this hill entry |
GPS data: | show GPS entries for this hill |
N.B. Some hill summits are on private property or on land where there is no public right of way. Permission should be sought from the landowner where access to a hill summit is through private land(*).
*For information about access rights in Scotland see the ScotWays website.
Please report via the contact page any logs you see below which describe or encourage acts of trespass. Please quote the hill number and hill name.
Logged Descriptions (logged by 162 users, only the latest 50 shown - Show all) | By | Date of Ascent |
Boat from Girvan. Up and down on path from pier via the castle. | Winterfloodian | 20/09/2022 |
Given that its two years since the last log, surprised to find a couple of fellow baggers on the same trip! Tagged on behind Dangerous Dave & Jill Robertson & up the usual route. Following recent heavy rain, a short slippery section just above the castle; otherwise fine. 
With Mark McCrindle & MFV Glorious, now in their 40th year of taking visitors to Ailsa Craig. An 80 minute crossing with 2hrs ashore & a cruise around the island before return. Cost £35. | gerrybowes | 24/08/2022 |
A fun day trip on a lovely sunny day. Up and down with Jill & gerrybowes. Trip very well described by Gerry, so nothing more to add. | Dangerous Dave | 24/08/2022 |
RHS group of about 10 organised by David Gilchrist chartering MV Glorious. Nice little weather window and 2 hrs ashore allowed us a relaxed climb up to the summit and back down via the usual route. 2 short steep muddy sections otherwise an easy gradient on short grass avoiding bracken and heather. NB Large free carpark and toilets next to harbour offering o/n parking for campervans. | AndrewFinnimore | 26/08/2020 |
Very lucky with weather-calm and clear. Glorious circled the island while waiting for the tide to come in-some spectacular sea cliffs. 
Boats cannot dock safely if there is wind from N or NE. | dave g | 26/08/2020 |
With RHS Group organised by David Gilchrist. Up by steep path. When a junction appears about 1/3 way up, take left hand path, much easier. good views from summit but cloud on neighbouring tops. Calm seas for crossing both ways. | Coinneach | 26/08/2020 |
With Alisdair on the MV Glorious | jef | 19/08/2020 |
Managed to get a place on an Ayr hillwalking group trip to the island. Straightforward ascent of the tourist route. | 3 kinnears | 04/07/2019 |
On Huntress from Girvan, up and down path via castle. Great views and puffins! | IainT | 03/08/2018 |
On a boat trip with Iain Thow and Louis, great day | Capt Malbec | 03/08/2018 |
Sailed from Largs with Ollie, Blair and Cameron. Anchored overnight and climbed the following morning with Ollie. The path shown on the 25k map does not form a loop; advise ascending using the path from near the light-house and descending the same way. | raffemeister | 14/07/2018 |
A smashing day in good company - 10 on top. Thanks Gill for sorting the trip and, more importantly, fixing the weather! | Chris Peart | 25/03/2018 |
Boat trip from Girvan, walked up the hill to trig and rock that's the summit. beautiful day and trip | jmistry86 | 25/03/2018 |
Fantastic hill and weather. Thanks Gill for organizing (both) | Dave Geere | 25/03/2018 |
Here for the trigpoint, thanks to Gill for organising! 
 
Amazing weather and excellent company. Travelled on the MV Huntress. Quiet a steep track, slippy in places but I made it and I wasn't last. | thejackrustles | 24/03/2018 |
1000th Marilyn... superb weather for the crossing, usual path up via the Castle | N.Morters | 24/03/2018 |
A great day, calm sea, blue skies and sunshine. A very convivial group of 11 set sail with JAG Charters, who were really great. Nigel's 1000th Marilyn and Alan's 1000th trig, so we had cake and fizzy stuff at the top. | Gill | 24/03/2018 |
Lovely day for this stunning hill and my 1000th extant trig. Thanks to Gill Stephens for organising the boat. | Alan Caine | 24/03/2018 |
Thanks to Gill for her organising skills, and for her steering skills on the way back. Congratulations to Alan and Nigel for their different 1000s. And thanks to the Huntress! | Pete R | 24/03/2018 |
At last - success after numerous boat cancellations in previous years. Couldn't keep pace with PGCE. Surprised at how steep and little used is the path. | summitsup | 07/07/2017 |
3rd hill of 4 today on a stunning day in May. 1st i climbed Bennan of Kirkcalla from the forestry car park then Dornal hill from Corwar Mains before driving to Girvan to take the 1pm sailing from the M.V. Glorious. As others i took the faint path up to the castle and beyond. 1 1/2 hours on the island to climb up and down. I was up in 40. I was accompanied by two other gentlemen who all dropped off before reaching the castle. On reaching the rocky shelves i scrambled up to the top. Beautiful clear sky with birds whirling by and the distinctive smell of guano in the air. Descent as ascent but slippery on the bluebells and Red and White Campion. Having seen Ailsa Craig from Arran and mainlans North Ayrshire it was great to meet it up close. | Dazingdale | 11/05/2017 |
Big relief landing today after a couple of failed attempts two years ago. Stunning weather and a good humoured gang to climb the hill with. Drained every penny's worth out of the trip's as we ended up towing a broken down RIB at a snail's pace back to Girvan. | Alex C | 05/06/2016 |
On my friends rib.The one that was towed back :) | ARM | 05/06/2016 |
Managed to land from the Glorious but captain reluctant at first. Delayed return until he could get against the jetty. AGM weekend. Great walk up and down! Total of 22. | bolton | 04/06/2016 |
The day of the Marilyn Baggers AGM 2016. | Lionel Bidwell | 04/06/2016 |
Tricky landing for the boatman, MV Huntress much more willing to give it a go. Hazy sun, warm, calm and ok views, if a bit misty. | iangalbraith | 04/06/2016 |
MV Glorious from Girvan on trip organized by Rick S - many thanks. Delayed departure due to sea conditions so time to visit the N fog horn building. | jonglew | 04/06/2016 |
Managed to land from the Glorious but captain reluctant at first. Delayed return until he could get against the jetty. AGM weekend. Great walk up and down! Total of 22 on two boats organised by Rick | Shutterlag | 04/06/2016 |
#589 - Eventually! | tim747 | 04/06/2016 |
Great crowd on summit bid | cjo | 04/06/2016 |
girvan boat from harbour bar no views, summit to my self, all others on boat were tourists. | robertphillips | 10/08/2015 |
Via the M.V. Glorious, 3rd time lucky, previous attempts having been cancelled by the weather. Lovely sunny day today. | agentmancuso | 31/05/2014 |
Success this time (after failed attempt on 27/04/2014) - on a glorious weather day with calm sea conditions. MV Gloriois took just over an hour to sail the 16.5km from Girvan to the landing stage. A faint path climbs steeply up through bracken and heather behind the fisherman's cottages to the castle. From there, even fainter in the carpet of bluebells etc, it winds up NNW over a series of caggy shelves to a wide sloping shelf east of the summit. From there it is a stiff but easy pull west, pathless, up to the little summit plateau - a marvellous place. High point is an embedded rock 10m west of the trig point. In a party of 11 on another trip organised by Rick Salter. | Man of Kernow1 | 31/05/2014 |
With a group organised by Rick Slater on the MV Glorious over the millpond aka the Firth of Clyde. 
Turn left after the jetty, head up to the tower, zig zag a bit and when you get bored head straight up. Lovely wild flowers - bluebells and white things. First time I have encountered the hazard of sea bird burrows which all of us tripped over many times. Flat calm in the summit sunshine and excellent company from the other 7 who summited. Glad that I persevered - this was my 3rd attempt, and late May/early June I best time to do it - after seabirds have left their nests and before the bracken gets up - a wonderful afternoon. | Thearlaichdubh | 31/05/2014 |
Took the 1pm boat Rick Salter had organised on a fabulous day. The sea was nearly flat , so it took about an hour, loads of gannets were circulating high up and even saw a fin of a whale I think. Ailsa Craig was more of a vertical garden than the usual walk. What an array of flowers, even some succulents I had not seen before. It helps not having sheep around to eat them. Great day | tallblond | 31/05/2014 |
Great day out via the M.V.Glorious. Hard work climbing in the heat. | ZanderH | 31/05/2014 |
Great day on Ailsa. One of three boats to make it. Good lumpy seas. Up the trade route from the crumbling greasy pier with Jenx, Mark T, Mary and Ward, Anne B and Eric, Pete Dawes, Jim Bloomer and Jim Fothergill. Weather cleared as came off the top, great spot. | nordicstar | 26/04/2014 |
Scotland trip organised by Rick. Went with Kate and stayed at Woodland Hotel in Girvan. Great trip, good company. Sailed out to Ailsa Craig on the MV Glorious, 11 of us in total. Managed to land ar jetty in quite rough seas, captain called the sea lumpy! Popped up to trig and had an explore round the lighthouse and derelict buildings. Rougher seas on way back, waves splashing onto deck and soaking some of us. Once back Rick Jen and I drove up to Brown Carrick Hill and bagged that. Great views across to Ayr and the Craig. T shirt weather. Strange looking across the sea to Ailsa Craig thinking I was standing on it that same morning. | Mark T | 26/04/2014 |
Completed whilst on boat trip from Girvan. Steep overgrown climb up to summit, great views all round. | quadbarrel | 21/07/2012 |
Brilliant sunny day on island with Paul Webster, Stephen Boff, Michael Earnshaw, richtea5040, Ian Brown, Lee Marsden, Simon Barnard, Ruud Vanruitenbeek + a few others. | Dugswell2 | 10/04/2011 |
Lovely Spring day on MV Glorious, kindly organised by Simon Barnard. Hazy, could barely see mainland from the top. Steep, but mostly dry and grassy path. | malcorbett | 10/04/2011 |
Climbed before the 2010 Gargunnock Beer Festival. Boat from Girvan. 'A bit choppy'! Just managed to land in the swell. Boat late in returning due to sea conditions. Various inc JC and DC | Martin66 | 07/08/2010 |
On the fishing boat from Girvan with Martin66, JC, Shaky, Smithy, Hart & Hunts & RRR. Stiff NW breeze blowing: we were warned that the crossing would be 'a wee bit splashy'. The swell made jumping ashore a bit tricky. Zig-zagged to top dodging the puffin burrows, watching gannets diving into the sea. A glorious view at the top. Dropped off the other side & wandered round shoreline past the giant fog horn. Boat back was very late & only just got there before the tide turned. | NotReallyABagger | 07/08/2010 |
I was in a party of 12 Radio Hams who climbed Ailsa Craig in perfect weather. We used the boat MV Glorious http://www.ailsacraig.org.uk/ 
I made 70 contacts on the short wave bands for SOTA (Summits On The Air). | G4OBK (Phil) | 13/08/2009 |
My last Marilyn in southern Scotland. I finished Wales on Bardsey, England on IOW - so will I ever finish Scotland on St Kilda? Maybe not. | Martin R | 25/07/2009 |
Revisit. Smallish grassy summit, steep path, great view including Arran and Kintyre. Revisited for the trig, this time with a Marilyn-bagging group, on MV Glorious as ever. Grey morning, lovely sunny p.m. 3h ashore, spent at summit and visiting the South Horn. A big bird-free outcrop was much admired by the climbers. Several hundred Gannets still on the sea cliffs. | RHW | 07/10/2007 |
MV Glorious from Girvan. 
Thin, steep path from small pier. Apparently no other ways down to sea level. | maknipe | 26/03/2006 |
PMI, BL, KB, MKe, Alan? (RHB trip) | HFB | 26/03/2006 |
wonderful trip to AC and photos of western cliff on slow boat cicuit | vegibagger | 11/09/2005 |
Marhofn do with llots of good company plus gannets. | Eddie | 11/09/2005 |