At Culzean Castle, near Maybole, Carrick, on the Ayrshire coast of Scotland

 My heart's in the Highlands a-chasing the deer;

A-chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,
My heart's in the Highlands wherever I go...."
-- Robert Burns
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(overlooking the Firth of Clyde, near Maybole, Carrick, on Scotland's west coast) Nestled on the Ayrshire coast this area provides many opportunities for a great escape: rolling countryside teeming with history and outdoor adventures, a sandy shoreline, heavenly islands and one of the finest sailing spots in the world. Carrick's rocky coastline with its many hidden coves and inlets has made it a favorite location for smuggling. Robert Burns made his living as an exciseman along that coastline in the late-18th century. By the year 1469, the title "Earl of Carrick" had become one of the lesser titles of the heir apparent to the Scots (later British) throne. Maybole has Middle Ages roots, receiving a charter from Donnchadh, Earl of Carrick in 1193. For generations it remained under the suzerainty of the Kennedys, afterwards Earls of Cassillis and (later) Marquesses of Ailsa, the most powerful family in Ayrshire. Featured here is Culzean Castle, the former home of the Marquess of Ailsa, the chief of Clan Kennedy, which is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland., the former home of the Marquess of Ailsa, the chief of Clan Kennedy, which is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland.