Photo: Rosser1954, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsDown the Ayrshire coast past Troon and Ayr, then through the Galloway hills by Barrhill and the lonely Glenwhilly summit to the old ferry port of Stranraer.
The Stranraer line starts as the busy Ayrshire electrified route from Glasgow Central through Paisley, Kilwinning, Irvine and Troon, with views over the Firth of Clyde to Arran. At Ayr the wires end and a diesel unit continues along the coast through Maybole and Girvan, with Ailsa Craig standing offshore.
Beyond Girvan the line climbs into the hills at 1 in 54, one of the steepest sustained gradients on a Scottish passenger route, to Pinmore Tunnel and the moorland station at Barrhill, then on to the summit at Glenwhilly, a former passing loop in empty country. It descends past Castle Kennedy to Stranraer, where the station stands on a pier on Loch Ryan; the Belfast ferries moved to Cairnryan in 2011, leaving the line quiet.
ScotRail uses Class 156 units south of Ayr. Ayr, Girvan and Barrhill (for the Galloway Forest) are the stops.
The Firth of Clyde, Arran, Ailsa Craig and Loch Ryan are all on the right heading south.
Sides are given facing the direction of travel. Miles are approximate from the start of the journey.
No; Stena and P&O sailings to Belfast left Stranraer for Cairnryan in 2011, and there is a bus link.
For the Galloway scenery yes; Stranraer itself is quiet, but Castle Kennedy gardens are nearby.
The Spirit of Scotland Travelpass; the Central Scotland Rover stops at Ayr.
Scenic lineEngland's most celebrated main line, climbing from the Yorkshire Dales over Ribblehead Viaduct and Ais Gill summit into the Eden Valley.
Scenic lineOften voted the world's most scenic railway: Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor, Ben Nevis and Glenfinnan Viaduct on one ordinary ScotRail ticket.
Scenic lineCoast-to-coast across the Highlands from Inverness to the Skye ferry port, ending on a shelf blasted along the shore of Loch Carron.