Transport and tourism: the Ayrshire coast and Stranraer

People travel to the Ayrshire coast for lots of different reasons and using many different forms of transport.

In this article you can find out about:

• going 'doon the watter'
• different types of transport
• what import and export are

This resource is suitable for People, Place and Environment topics for P5, P6 and P7 (Second Level Curriculum for Excellence).

Join Isla and Connor as they travel between Glasgow and Stranraer.

In Victorian times, many people in Glasgow would travel to seaside towns on the Firth of Clyde and Ayrshire Coast for holidays.

One popular way to travel there was by boat. Taking trips like this was called going doon the watter (down the water).

Beginning in 1812, paddle steamer services would sail down the River Clyde to towns like Dunoon, Rothesay, Millport and Largs. The paddle steamer Waverley still carries tourists and travellers on cruises down the Clyde and around other parts of the UK…

When railways were built in the 1830s, 40s and 50s, people were also able to travel to the coast by train. Trains made travelling to the beaches of Troon, Ayr or Girvan quicker and cheaper.

When people began to own cars and there were better roads, travelling from the cities to the seaside became very quick and easy. Now many people will travel to the coast for day trips rather than for long holidays.

Most Scots spent their holidays in Scotland or elsewhere in the UK until the 1970s, when cheap air travel and package holidays made a summer holiday in countries like Spain, Portugal or Greece more affordable.

Many people like to travel abroad where the weather is hot and sunny more often, or where they can visit new places.

Some people holiday in Scotland or the UK because it can be less expensive or because they want to explore their own country. Choosing not to fly off on holiday can also be an environmental choice - aeroplanes produce large amounts of carbon dioxide which is one of the causes of climate change.

In Scotland most passenger flights are from the big city airports of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.Prestwick Airport deals with fewer passengers but is a busy cargo airport.

These days not many people travel by boat doon the watter. Today, most people use road or rail to travel to or along the coast. There are also cycle paths to take cyclists most of the way between the Ayrshire coast and Glasgow.

All of these forms of transport have benefits and issues. Can you think what these might be? Click the tabs below to find out.

Transport isn't just for people. Every day our roads, railways, ports and airports are busy moving freight around the country.

Think about all the stuff you use every day - food, clothes, furniture, books, electronic equipment, toiletries, and many other things. All of them have been transported from where they were grown or made, to shops or warehouses, to your house or school.

Some of these journeys will be short, local journeys. Other goods are transported for thousands of miles around the world. When goods are transported into or out of the country, we call it import and export.

Importing is when someone brings goods or services into the country.

For example, Scotland imports oranges from Spain.

Exporting is when goods or services are sent out of the country to other countries.

For example, fish, shellfish and other seafood are exported from Scotland to Europe, North America, China and Japan.

Goods are imported and exported through Scotland's ports and airports.

The Port of Grangemouth is Scotland's main freight hub. As of 2023, more than nine million tonnes of cargo pass through the port each year. Cargo ships are used to transport large amounts of goods at low costs, but journeys can be slow. Grangemouth handles food and drink, fuels, and steel and timber products.

Edinburgh Airport is Scotland's largest cargo airport. Planes are often used to transport goods that are needed somewhere in a hurry, or need to be fresh. Air freight is faster than shipping but it is more expensive and produces more carbon emissions. Scotland's airports handle goods including fish and seafood, and some medicines.

Importing and exporting has a big impact on the environment.

Transporting goods over long distances can produce lots of carbon dioxide. Buying products that are grown or made locally can be one way to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases produced.

freight - Goods which are transported by lorries, trains, ships or planes.

going 'doon the watter' - Taking a trip or holiday from Glasgow down the River Clyde or along the Ayrshire coast.

paddle steamer - A ship or boat powered by a steam engine. The steam turns a paddle wheel which pushes the boat through the water.

import - Bringing goods or services into the country.

export - Sending goods or services out of the country.

ports - A town or city with a harbour or access to water where ships load or unload.

carbon emissions - The release of carbon into the earth’s atmosphere, which contributes to climate change.

climate change - The change in the usual conditions of weather (temperature, wind, rainfall etc.) on Earth over a long period of time. The climate has changed throughout the history of Earth, but current climate change refers to an increase in global temperature.

tonne - One thousand kilograms.