New book takes a look at the history of Ayrshire's harbours

A Look Back at Ayrshire Harbours starts at Skelmorlie in the north, where there used to be a pier.

Author Dane Love (Image: Carn Publishing) Love then takes readers south along the shore, covering the harbours at Largs, Fairlie, Portencross, Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston, Irvine, Troon, Ayr, Dunure, Maidens, Girvan and Ballantrae.

Each port is illustrated with at least one old photograph, or up to three in the case of larger ports. Each of these old postcard images, or period photographs, some of which haven’t appeared in print before, are accompanied by detailed historical captions.

Girvan Harbour (Image: Carn Publishing) The book forms part of Ayrshire's Carn Publishing's Look Back series.

The book cover (Image: Carn Publishing)

The history of each harbour and pier is included, informing the reader of when it was established, a bit about the trade carried out at each place, some accounts of shipbuilding, fishing, smuggling, and pleasure cruises ‘doon the watter’.

Saltcoats Harbour (Image: Carn Publishing) Dane has written numerous books on Scottish subjects, with many on his native Ayrshire.

This latest publication is his 40th book. Previous works include the recently re-issued Scottish Covenanter Stories, Ayrshire’s Lost Villages, Ayrshire Coast and The Mountains of Great Britain.

Portencross Harbour (Image: Carn Publishing) A Look Back at Ayrshire Harbours is available form numerous outlets across Ayrshire, or directly from the publisher at www.carnpublishing.com priced £10.