Alloway

Alloway is a village and civil parish in South Ayrshire, Scotland, located on the River Ayr a short distance south of Ayr. It lies within the historic county of Ayrshire and forms part of the area's rural belt.

The village is best known for its association with the poet Robert Burns. It is the site of Burns Birthplace, the cottage where Burns was born in 1759, preserved as a museum. Nearby is the Burns Birthplace Museum, operated by the National Trust for Scotland, which houses manuscripts, artifacts, and exhibits related to Burns’s life and work.

Other notable sights connected with Burns and the local landscape include the Alloway Auld Kirk, a ruined 16th-century church, and the Brig o’ Doon, a historic bridge over the River Doon made famous by Burns’s Tam o’ Shanter. The surrounding countryside forms part of the Burns heritage route and appeals to visitors seeking literary and historical context.

Today, Alloway functions as a tourist destination that preserves a compact historic core and the broader Burns legacy. It is accessible from Ayr by road and contributes to the cultural itinerary for visitors exploring Burns country.