Beaches scooptop awards
Four South Ayrshire beaches have landed prestigious national awards.
Shorelines at Girvan, Maidens, Prestwick and Troon have been recognised as part of Scotland’s Beach Awards for 2021.
The quartet received prizes from Keep Scotland Beautiful for their amenities, maintenance, biodiversity and cleanliness.
The awards are a benchmark for quality and celebrate clean, wellmanaged and sustainable beaches.
All four have demonstrated “excellent management, environmental best practice, and maintenance of a high standard”.
The award marks Girvan’s first beach gong in several years, with its southern end proving an important habitat for breeding birds.
Maidens offers breathtaking scenery and unique geology and wildlife.
There are three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) within walking distance of the beach.
Meanwhile, Prestwick is popular with families and for sailing, windsurfing and fishing.
And to the north, the Pow Burn estuary and sand dune system are a haven for wildlife.
Troon remains one of Scotland’s busiest coastal retreats in the height of summer with thousands flocking from around the country to enjoy its vast expanse and amenities.
Councillor Ian Cochrane, South Ayrshire’s environment spokesman, said: “It’s fantastic to have been recognised with these awards, they highlight the huge effort required to maintain large stretches of heavily used land.
“With more and more people looking to staycation this year, our beaches are set to attract thousands of visitors, so we will regularly remind people to dispose of their rubbish responsibly.
“We are extremely grateful to all the community groups and individuals who go out of their way to help keep our beaches looking their best.”
It comes with a £10m project currently underway to try and stop the ‘Keep Out’ signs from going up at the water at Ayr beach.