Troon in South Ayrshire has been hailed as one of the UK's top retirement towns by travel publication World Atlas, and a recent visit by a tourism writer confirms the accolade is well deserved.
Alexander Smail, a tourism writer for Scotland Now, took a trip to the seaside resort just outside Glasgow. He described the town as offering an idyllic seaside setting within easy reach of Scotland's biggest city, meaning retirees will never be bored.
Beach and town centre impress
Smail and his partner headed to Troon Beach, which he found to be absolutely huge. After walking along it for half an hour, he felt he had barely scratched the surface. Though it was too chilly to sunbathe, he noted that living in Troon would allow for beautiful seaside walks every day.
After playing rounders and frisbee on a patch of sand, the arrival of dark clouds prompted a move into the town centre. Smail was surprised by how pretty Troon is and how many little shops there are to explore. His favourite was The Wee Gift Shop.
Ice cream and fish and chips
Smail stopped at The Ice Cream Factory, which offered so many flavours he could have spent an hour deciding. He chose Daim and coffee, describing the Daim as his favourite and the coffee as a little bland, but the ice cream as deliciously creamy.
Before heading home, the final stop was The Wee Hurrie fish and chip shop, tucked away in a secluded spot in the town's docks. Smail was extremely impressed that the chippy had earned thousands of rave reviews online despite its location.
He ordered the fritto misto, an assortment of deep-fried seafood, which he had never tried before. The platter was intimidatingly large, and he later realised the shop offered smaller portions. The white fish and prawn were delicious, and the tartare sauce was so good he ordered another. The only item he was unsure about was the salmon, as he had never had it in batter before.
Perfect for retirement
Smail left Troon pleasantly surprised and can see why it was named one of the UK's best retirement towns by World Atlas. He praised the stunning seaside walks, charming town centre, and one of the best chippies he has visited in a long time.
He concluded that retirement gives the opportunity to enjoy lovely strolls and delicious food free from the stress of work, and that Troon is the perfect place for all of that, especially for those who want to wake up to peaceful sea views.
