Ayrshire's Abandoned Theme Park | Hidden Ayrshire #95

[@NickBurnham-g2j]

I pumped big Carol Grant from Kilmaurs in that theme park. Cheers for the vlog.

[@UmbertoDavidPanda]

Your comment made me laugh until peas popped oot me arse. Cheers then 😂

[@traceys8065]

Haha 😂

[@FromtheHerts81]

An abandoned theme park and a haunted castle? You couldn’t get a better setting for an episode of Scooby Doo!

[@TVAyrshire]

🤣 very true! And they would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for those meddlesome kids!

[@billymcdowall9850]

The bravehearts ride was awesome

[@TVAyrshire]

What was that like?

[@BeardyPr1ck]

​@@TVAyrshirea lot of freedom.

[@TVAyrshire]

@@BeardyPr1ck 🤣

[@billymcdowall9850]

The big sword ride was called the bravehearts. Spun round very fast

[@allwrighty100]

I remember taking my kids there in the early 2000s. It was starting to get a bit run down (in my eyes) but the kids loved it. Another good video, keep it up!

[@TVAyrshire]

Thanks so much! Yes it was definitely needing a bit of work and a spruce up.

[@BarryEllis-vq5zs]

Really enjoyed your short film. I live in Galston now and it's great to hear the history. Fingers crossed investment will be put back into the Castle. It's a real beauty of Ayrshire!

[@TVAyrshire]

Thanks Barry, definitely agree it’s a beauty!

[@jamesstraiton7117]

Can remember going to 80s Retrofest here in 2009 🎶

[@nicholasmoore2590]

My great grandmother worked in domestic service in Loudoun Castle. She was there until just after the 1918 'flu epidemic. She then married my great grandfather and became housewife and mother.

[@TVAyrshire]

Wow that’s some amazing family history! Thanks for sharing 👍

[@OspinzYT]

Great Video! i used to love going there as a kid. I went so many times and have great memories about the park!

[@TVAyrshire]

Thanks, that’s great to hear! What was your favourite ride?

[@OspinzYT]

@@TVAyrshire when I went I was really young and not the tallest so I wasn’t able to go on many of the roller coasters. I loved the cowboy ride but I always wanted to go on the mousetrap

[@Notherenotever]

I vaguely remember visiting the park not long after it opened when I was in primary. I can only remember myself and another girl going really fast on the teacups. I wanted to go back again but my parents weren't interested in going since we were in Glasgow.

[@TVAyrshire]

What a great memory, there were definitely a lot of great days out had there. Thanks for commenting 👍

[@cgimovieman]

I live in the states and my family have been good friends with a family living in Newmilns all the way back to 1984. In 1997, they built a new home on the plot of land that used to be the kennels at Loudoun Castle, up the hill from the main structure. They still live there today. When I visited them in 1997, we went to the amusement park at Loudoun. It was a neat little park for the area, and I think about the uniqueness of it a lot. It’s kind of fascinating. I’ve always wished the castle itself could be fully restored one day.

[@TVAyrshire]

It would be great to see it fully restored, but take a lot of money! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful connection 👍

[@Killieguy84]

The Youngs?

[@diffy8238]

Hi I used to go to louden castle all the time as a child, and it was my cousin that had died in a roller-coaster accident that had the theme park shut down

[@TVAyrshire]

That was a really awful accident and must have been terrible for your whole family. A real tragedy.

[@KidThomsonMediaProductions]

Loved Loudoun Castle

[@bigstevie100]

Whats with the kid on husky voice !!

[@TVAyrshire]

🤣 he had a cold that day

[@KACS4]

Great memories of going with my primary school a few times

[@TVAyrshire]

That would have been a treat, I remember going to M&Ds with the school once and then Alton Towers at secondary. Would prefer a 30 minute bus journey over 4 hours 😂

[@bingobaz6402]

Good vid. I am 50 years old and I am in Irvine. I never even heard of Loudon Castle. Subbed BTW

[@TVAyrshire]

Thanks so much, we've got the next 4 in this series planned for later this year

[@bingobaz6402]

@@TVAyrshire Will watch out for them. :)

[@beefcheeks9353]

Not tryin to be cheeky but have you not long moved there? Seems pretty wild that you're 50, from Irvine and never heard of Louden Castle before. Every day is a school day eh?

[@thomashogg2341]

It wasn't public opinion that closed the park, the owner's declared bankruptcy to avoid paying any form of compensation to the family of worker.

[@TVAyrshire]

Wow, if true that's really awful.

[@bingobaz6402]

Why would they have to pay out if they were found not guilty of anything?

[@thomashogg2341]

@@bingobaz6402 that was only the Official Enquiry. You'd need to understand Scottish Law and how our court system works. They were going to be dragged through The Civil Court system and could potentially have lost every penny and asset with their name on. No amount of wealth can protect you in Scotland when the other side has access to 100% free Legal Aid.

[@jobbiejew]

@@TVAyrshireit’s true

[@bobsmith9287]

Parkware Limited has been dissolved after the closure of the park and not been declared bankrupt!

[@georgecarroll3470]

I seem to remember having to park in a wet field, and some cars needing to be pulled out by tractor. Toilet blocks made of the cheapest unplaned wood, and my child getting a huge skelf in her hand. Wasn't good enough to warrant a second visit.

[@TVAyrshire]

Oh that sounds horrible, no wonder you didn’t go back!

[@highflyinbird3644]

Been a few times, however only I can remember is my pals mum bought him a brand new white jumper a few hours before we went. Had a few goes on some things then went to the dodgems. Had a blast then when we came off a massive rusty oil stain was right up his back ruining the jumper. His maw went ape shit 😂

[@TVAyrshire]

😂 those are the things you never forget!

[@mgthestrange9098]

That was stupid, imagine buying a white jumper for a wean to wear on a day out at a theme park!

[@G4RY1159]

Just another on the list that's closed, we thrive at that here in Scotland.

[@MacBlogs]

Would be awesome to explore this if it was possible, great video, keep up the good work

[@TVAyrshire]

Thanks! Sadly the site is completely private ground and no access is allowed, hopefully one day it will be open to the public again

[@JohnMullen-mm4jh]

it is possible as i have did it late at night about 10pm

[@Spacebuilds]

I remver being there the very last day of it staying open I was very very young then but I still remember it well

[@TVAyrshire]

Do you remember what your favourite ride was?

[@Spacebuilds]

@@TVAyrshire it would of been the globe was one of my favorites

[@vincentanderson5016]

So have I been there before when I was young still at Primary school then loved the Big Pirate ship and some of the Big rollercoaster also the formula one cars as well.

[@TVAyrshire]

I remember the pirate ship, too scary for me! 😳

[@JohnMullen-mm4jh]

i loved it, was a good thrill, remember going there with the school, n friends.

[@TVAyrshire]

Good memories 😊

[@edwardmartin2157]

Loved this theme park it was class, my p6 trip p7 trip and 1st year , had ma 13th birthday here tae.. Mintit place

[@TVAyrshire]

Sounds like a lot of great memories were there for you.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Another very interesting video.

[@TVAyrshire]

Thanks Henry, have you seen our video on the Doon valley railway?

[@HenrysAdventures]

@@TVAyrshire Not yet, I'll have a look.

[@Rydonattelo]

I liked Louden for school trips in thr 90s. We used to smoke hash and laugh at thr Llamas

[@TVAyrshire]

Hash on a school trip!?

[@Rydonattelo]

@@TVAyrshire C'mon mate, 99, Ayrshire. We travelled from not far up the west coast. We were 14/15. Not Saltcoats but not as far as Greenock. Fantastic times 👍🏼 We all grow up sadly 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@TVAyrshire]

😂 those were the days!

[@johnpm14]

I worked there in 2001

[@BlairMcNally]

👏

[@kezmurray3]

Was a regular visitor to the theme park my son had his 13th birthday party there and he still has the Rory the lion soft toy he was given by the park

[@TVAyrshire]

Wow that will be a collectors item now! Thanks for sharing 👍

[@blairphillips2168]

How did you go about getting entrance into the park?

[@TVAyrshire]

The park is actually private ground which we didn’t know until afterwards. We were on foot and saw signs for private deliveries only, which we assumed only meant vehicle access was restricted.

[@chrisgemmell2742]

I went to visit this last year with my mate and security chased us off the property

[@TVAyrshire]

Yes, something we learned as part of making this film is the road is private and right to roam does not apply! We assumed especially as there is a site of historical importance (Loudon Castle) that public would be allowed access but seemingly not, so we left as soon as we were asked.

[@chrisgemmell2742]

@@TVAyrshire ah makes sense i guess but they shouldnt leave the gates open if they dont want anyone on the property

[@TVAyrshire]

@@chrisgemmell2742 Yeah the gate was open and we didn't the see the 'private road' sign until we left, not that obvious.

[@chrisgemmell2742]

@@TVAyrshire we never saw any signs to say otherwise

[@kirstiehood3404]

Lived in Galston, worked at Loudoun Castle theme park for two years.

[@TVAyrshire]

What was working there like? Fun or stressful?

[@kirstiehood3404]

@@TVAyrshire it was fun to work there. Apart from when it rained lol 😂

[@TVAyrshire]

@@kirstiehood3404 Haha I can imagine!

[@Sevarrius]

"...Scotlands best theme park" That's not exactly saying much. Kind of like the Frankie Boyle quip "the handsomest man...in the burns ward" Anyway this video was a bit of a rollercoaster in itself, soaring from talking normally in the live footage and plummeting to ASMR during the voice-overs, great fun.

[@TVAyrshire]

😂 that was our exact intention to give you a theme park experience

[@jobbiejew]

“Lack of interest in the event” - At The Flix Yeah… the backlash was about ticket prices. Unscrupulous profiteering at its very worst. £60 something per ticket if memory serves me well.

[@TVAyrshire]

Wow that's outrageous, no one wonder there was backlash!

[@williamrae9954]

Family seat to the rightful heir to the English throne, Simon Abney-Hastings, Lord Mauchline...time the Germans were sent packing!

[@Adrenaline123-q2e]

I've herd rumours that the park is supposed to be re opening at some point

[@TVAyrshire]

Wow that would be surprising!

[@thestonedcrusader7062]

Nah they were meant to be making it into a golf course and resort but planning got denied

[@jackgers]

Cows or buffalo?

[@Sunnygt992]

I live in Galston

[@simoncurrie5520]

My back garden was more of a theme park 1 semi decent ride.. Don't make a theme park. Shame the potential is there. As I believe is the customer base. People just don't want to visit a glorified fun fair. Someone would have to go balls out landscape the whole place add several new 1 off a kind rides from top tier manufactures at least of which has some special/unique pull too it. Accommodation decent night time entertainment etc. Plonking down a couple off off the shelf rides just won't work. Maybe the group in charge off flamingo land should look at this site if there loch lomand project comes to nothing. 😊

[@TVAyrshire]

Yeah there would have to be very significant investment, ultimately more likely to happen in already established tourist areas such as Edinburgh, Stirling or Glasgow

[@BarryHWhite]

galston - notslag

[@TVAyrshire]

😱

[@DannielleHill-b7f]

Worlds most boring inadequate theme park I ever attended lol. U got round it in a hour lol 🤣

[@DannielleHill-b7f]

Mnds was better

[@TVAyrshire]

I suppose that’s partly why it never succeeded!

[@rosskerr9909]

Ayrshire is a wasteland

[@albertreynolds9287]

Explain why Ayrshire A wasteland

[@rosskerr9909]

It’s empty and has nothing do to or see no mountains …it’s basically a collection of small generic town’s hit badly by thatchers reign spread out across a wet patch or flat boring wasteland..the highest hill will be a slag pile ….im from one of these Shit towns btw Ayrshire born and bread

[@albertreynolds9287]

@@rosskerr9909 I see what you mean I'm in Ayrshire too and I do agree thatchers legacy still here there is not a lot to do here it's been. Left to rot it needs investment there is nothing for young people

[@terry5048]

Why ye talk normal on camera but sound like a stoner in the audio? Ruined this for me.

[@TVAyrshire]

Don’t worry, for the next lot of Hidden Ayrshire we’ve given Josh some soothers for his throat 😂

[@terry5048]

😅 glad to hear it.

[@Tommi-C]

Shame, It was quite good.

[@TVAyrshire]

Yeah it’s always nice to have things to do but unfortunately this was unsustainable