Eat, Drink, Love: Thrifty in the Irvine Valley

To the untrained ear, my accent is often mistaken for a Glaswegian accent (something that infuriates me to no end – no offence to people from Glasgow). I actually grew up in a tiny East Ayrshire lace town tucked away in the Irvine Valley called Newmilns. We are home to the only working original Nottingham Lace Looms in the world, some of which are almost 100 years old. One of the factories actually made the lace curtains you can see in the background of TV shows and films, including the Harry Potter movies.

You may have heard of the town next door too; Darvel – whose football club recently found fame by beating the Dons in the Scottish Cup. I think that was the first football game I voluntarily watched with Ryan, he usually has to convince me to watch a game with him. For me, it was like the battle of my two homes.

Three-and-a-half-hour journey

Since I was unable to visit my family at Christmas time due to work, I made sure to set aside time to visit this month. I can’t visit home often unfortunately and the three-and-a-half-hour bus journey doesn’t make it easier, especially when I’m travelling alone. This time, the bus journey was made tolerable by my earbuds, since I could listen to my favourite songs and podcasts while watching the scenery go by.

After arriving in Glasgow in the worst traffic I’ve seen in my life, I met up with my parents and my dad drove the rest of the way. It was great to get home, have a bowl of homemade soup and chill out for the rest of the day.

Time for family and friends

To kick-start the visit, we decided to visit Dumfries House to get some fresh air. My mum is an avid bird watcher and likes to take photographs of the birds and research them, so it was nice to see her in action. After our lovely walk around the grounds, we stopped for a cuppa and a scone, giving me plenty of time to catch up with my parents.

Catching up with friends was also on the agenda. My childhood friend, Melissa and I keep good contact through social media but decided to take a stroll down memory lane while I was visiting.

Back when we were in secondary school, we would take a bus to Kilmarnock almost every Saturday to get a bite to eat at our favourite cafe and do a bit of shopping. Our favourite cafe, Blowmore Music and More, unfortunately, closed after I moved away- but a new cafe has replaced it called The Wynd Coffee Shop. We decided to try it out, ordering a hot chocolate and french toast (our regular order at the old cafe) and, despite not being the same, it was amazing to see what the new owners had done to the place. It means more to me that it’s a new cafe and it’s not lying empty.

Ayr is also a great day out, my mum and I grabbed a coffee at the Tam O’Shanter Inn before a good old rummage in the charity shops. We found some stylish pieces, as well as some more wacky items. We then had a wonderful dinner at The Stage Door before heading to the Ayr Writers Club.

Back to Aberdeen

Ending the visit on a high note, we had a delicious dinner and a brilliant night at The Fox and Willow in Ayr. It was a great way to finish off and we’ll definitely consider going back when I’m visiting again.

Although I miss my family and I’ll get homesick again in a couple of months, I’m glad to be back in my other home in Aberdeen. Having two places to call home can feel strange sometimes but it just means that I appreciate the time I have in Ayrshire now more than ever.

When was the last time you visited your family and friends? Do you have any must-visit places where you come from? Let me know in the comments.

Photos: Linda Brown, Scott Brown