Brig o' Doon

About this place

Medieval bridge over the River Doon in Alloway, made famous by Burns's poem Tam o' Shanter.

This graceful medieval bridge over the River Doon in Alloway owes its lasting fame to Robert Burns's poem Tam o' Shanter, in which the bridge becomes the hero's final desperate escape from a pursuing witch - since, according to the poem's own logic, witches cannot cross running water. The bridge remains a popular stop for visitors following the wider Burns trail through Alloway, connecting naturally to the nearby Birthplace Museum and Burns Cottage. Its narrow, humpbacked design makes for an attractive, easily photographed spot even without knowledge of the poem behind it. It's free to visit, and the old stone surface makes it less suitable for buggies.

Make a day of it — within 5km