Carrick Out & About Excursion Club

2018/19

Carrick Out & About Club – 2018/19

A monthly day trip club that runs all year round, to a variety of destinations. Places of interest, shopping centres, historic towns all feature on our list.

We use modern fleet of minibuses and people carriers which are fully accessible either by steps or passenger lift and have room for wheelchairs and walking frames. Our friendly, helpful drivers will pick you up from home and drop you off there again after a great day out. Places are extremely limited so early booking is recommended to avoid being on the reserve list.

Individual Members

If you're not yet a member and you live in the Kyle* or Carrick** areas of South Ayrshire, it's easy to join. Just phone with your details tell us which trips you’d like to go on and then sign a membership form the first time you travel. Payment for trips can be taken on the day although we strongly advise advance payment to guarantee your place on a trip. Contact us on the number below and we will be happy to take a card payment. If you need to cancel a booking, please give us as much notice as possible. We reserve the right to charge a fee for short notice cancellations if we can't re-fill the seat. (*Kyle area covers Ayr, Troon, Prestwick, Tarbolton, Coylton, Monkton, Dundonald, Mossblown, and Annbank) (**Carrick area covers Maybole, Girvan and surrounding villages)

Group Membership

We also offer our increasingly popular Group Membership for a very modest annual fee. Far more convenient to hire your own bus, design your own outings, choose where and when you want to go and come back at a time that suits you. We can provide a driver if required.

Please call 01292 270864 for more details.

All application forms are available on our web site:

Date / Destination / *Pick Up / *Return / **Cost / Notes
April – Thursday 12th / Maritime Museum & Puffer Café Explore Scotland’s ‘Cathedral of Engineering’ - the vast, former Linthouse shipyard building. Discover historic vessels such as Spartan, Scotland’s last Scottish-built puffer, the harbour tug Garnock and Carola, a steam yacht built in 1898. A Museum visit isn't compete without dropping into Puffers Café with its stunning views over the River Irvine Estuary. Then take a look around the heritage and maritime themed gifts and gallery in the Boatshop. / 9.30-10.30 / 16.30 / £14
May – Thursday 17th / Glasgow – Botanical Gardens - Glasgow Botanic Gardens is located in the heart of the city’s West End by the River Kelvin and contains a variety of plant collections, woodland copses and riverside walks as well as the famous Kibble Palace.
Kibble Palace is a magnificent glasshouse designed by John Kibble housing the national collection of tree ferns. Plants from tropical rainforests grow in the palm house. The Botanic Gardens Tearoom is the latest addition to the gardens and can be found in the former curator’s house near Kibble Palace. / 9.30-10.30 / 17.00 / £17
June – Thursday 21st / Castle Douglas & Irvings Bakery. An afternoon visit to the town followed by a tour of Irvings bakery. The town is perfectly sited for visitors to enjoy fantastic scenery, great food, unique shopping and leisure activities. It is Scotland's Food Town and boasts a variety of lovely shops, restaurants and cafés, as well as a wide selection of small independent shops. A great run out in the country – fingers crossed for the weather! / 13.30-14.30 / 21.30 / £17 / Irvings bakery tours are 6.30-8pm
July – Thursday 19th / Garrion Bridges – privately owned and proudly independent Garden & Antiques Centre with 44,000 sq. ft. of floor Space. They offer a unique and exciting shopping experience with an eclectic mix of fashion, gifts, jewellery, plants, sweetie shop, coffee shop (the Café du Jardin), pet shop and an Aladdin’s cave of accessories. / 9.30-10.30 / 17.00 / £19
Date / Destination / *Pick Up / *Return / **Cost / Notes
August – Thursday 9th / Threave Gardens - Threave’s wonderful garden has been created over the years by students of the NTS School of Heritage Gardening and is a fine example of landscaped beauty. The garden is divided into a series of smaller gardens to showcase different styles, including a rose garden, rockery and walled garden. At the centre stands Threave House, designed in the Scottish Baronial style in 1871 for the Gordon family. Many of its rooms are displayed as they were in the 1930s. / 9.30-10.30 / 17.00 / £17
September – Thursday 13th / Largs - a charming Scottish seaside resort, complete with Victorian promenade and a choice of ice cream parlours and shops. Optional visit to Vikingar (entrance fee extra). / 10.00-11.00 / 16.30 / £15
October – Thursday 18th / Dumfries House - Saved by the intervention of HRH the Prince of Wales in 2007, Dumfries House combines the architecture of Robert Adam with the furniture of Thomas Chippendale and leading 18th century Scottish cabinet makers. The house and original contents, which include nearly 10% of Chippendale’s surviving work, represent one of the most important documents of the Scottish Enlightenment. Recently having been fastidiously restored to its original splendour, the house is open to the public all year round. You can take one of the expert guided tours around the stunning interiors and savour the delights of this now resplendent 18th century stately home. / 9.30-10.30 / 16.30 / £14
November – Thursday 8th / Gem Rock Museum & Creetown - Creetown is a former fishing village founded in the 18th century. It formed one end of a ferry route that took pilgrims across the River Cree estuary to the shrine of St Ninian at Whithorn. The old harbour and waterfront has some attractive 18th and 19th century houses. Creetown is home to the award-winning Gem Rock Museum with its collection of gemstones, crystals, minerals, rocks and fossils. As the filming location for the classic movie The Wicker Man, Creetown enjoys cult status among movie buffs. Food shopping and eating out is available in the village. / 9.30-10.30 / 16.30 / £14
Date / Destination / *Pick Up / *Return / **Cost / Notes
December – Thursday 13th / Gretna Outlet - Whether you are looking for special gifts, a new outfit or simply a welcoming travel break, Gretna Gateway has everything you'll need for the perfect shopping experience. With 50 leading brand outlet stores you can always find the quality you trust for much lower prices than you'll find elsewhere. Stores include Marks & Spencer Outlet, Nike Factory Store, Clarks Outlet & Cadbury. / 9.00-10.00 / 18.00 / £21
January – Thursday 17th / The Red Squirrel and Portencross – back by popular request. From classic British carvery to legendary pub favourites, the food is fresh, hot, and served daily. Highly recommended by previous groups, this is a chance to revisit it, or find out what you’ve been missing. Something to suit all pockets (from £4.00) and every size of appetite. / 9.30-10.30 / 16.30 / £15
February – Thursday 21st / Drumlanrig Castle - Set in the 120,000 acre Queensberry Estate, complete with a country park and Victorian gardens, this 17th century castle is one of the most important Renaissance buildings in the country. The Dumfriesshire home of the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, Drumlanrig Castle with its magnificent rooms and spectacular collections of silver, porcelain, French furniture and art - including Rembrandt's Old Woman Reading - is perhaps one of the most rewarding and romantic of Scotland's great houses. / 9.30-10.30 / 16.30 / £15
March – Thursday 21st / Mull of Galloway - At the Mull of Galloway you can climb the Lighthouse, visit the Exhibition of Lighthouse History, walk around the RSPB Scotland nature reserve and enjoy delicious food and drink at Scotland’s most southerly coffee house. / 9.30-10.30 / 16.30 / £15

*All times are approximate. We'll contact you shortly before your trip to confirm your pick up time

** Please note, unless otherwise stated, "Cost" does NOT include meals, refreshments or admission charges