Wonders of Scotland and Ireland. 6
Day 6 Glasgow to Cairnryan and on to Belfast
Day1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
We depart Glasgow at 8:30 AM, setting off on a scenic and story-filled journey southwest toward Loch Ryan, where we’ll catch the Stena Superfast Ferry to Belfast. But first, we take the road less travelled — through a landscape brimming with history, poetry, and drama.
Our first stop is Alloway, the birthplace of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet. We’ll visit the whitewashed Burns Cottage, wander through the atmospheric ruins of Alloway Kirk (where witches once danced in verse), and cross the Brig o’ Doon, where Tam o’ Shanter and his loyal mare Meg made their daring escape from the supernatural.
Back on the road, we hug the rugged coastline, passing Turnberry, known for its golf course and as the birthplace of Robert the Bruce, then through Girvan, a lively seaside town with views of Ailsa Craig, the volcanic island rising dramatically from the Firth of Clyde.
Next comes Ballantrae, a picturesque village set between the rolling hills and the sea — and a place rich in literary legacy. This was the setting that inspired Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel The Master of Ballantrae, a tale of family conflict, betrayal, and redemption. Set in the time of the '45, Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite uprising. Stevenson often stayed nearby, drawing inspiration from the wild coast and its moody skies.
As we pass through Ballantrae, keep an eye out for a striking and unusual monument that overlooks the sea — the memorial to the Russian cruiser Varyag.
Here’s a story you might not expect on a Scottish roadside:
In 1904, during the Russo-Japanese War, the cruiser Varyag and her crew were blockaded in the Korean port of Chemulpo. Outnumbered and outgunned, the Varyag and another ship chose to sail out and face overwhelming Japanese forces in a doomed show of courage. Though badly damaged, the Varyag’s crew refused to surrender. They scuttled the ship and were taken in by allied vessels — including British ships — eventually making their way to Scotland.
The people of Ballantrae took the Russian sailors in, treating them with kindness and respect. In return, the survivors remembered this hospitality, and in 1907, a granite monument was erected above Ballantrae’s shore, gifted by the Russian people. It remains a quiet but powerful tribute to international solidarity — and to the unexpected stories you find on the backroads of Scotland.
From there, we continue to Cairnryan, where we board our Stena Line ferry for a comfortable 2-hour crossing of the Irish Sea to Belfast.
We expect to dock around 2:00 PM, after which we’ll transfer to our hotel, the iconic Europa Hotel. Known as “the most bombed hotel in Europe” during the Northern Ireland Troubles, it has since transformed into one of Belfast’s most stylish and
historic accommodations — a perfect base for exploring the city.
Tonight, you’re free to explore and dine at your leisure. Enjoy your evening in this dynamic and welcoming city — tomorrow, Ireland’s charms await!
Day1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
