We’re now a week into January, and while the start of a new year can be satisfying, it’s difficult to get your life going again after the festivities. You’re probably tired after being back at work, looking forward to a weekend of hibernation. 

But going out for a walk to a new town or village can really boost your serotonin, which is exactly what I did over the weekend. Braving the icy air, I hopped on a half-hour train from Glasgow to Troon, a seaside town very popular in summer, but not so much in the winter. It was almost the perfect day trip, until something very nearly ruined it – but don’t let it put you off. 

Situated on the west coast of Scotland and overlooking the Firth of Clyde, Troon is the perfect seaside escape from the city. Granted, I hadn’t been since I was around 15 and never in the winter, but I wanted to get out of the flat and enjoy my last day of freedom before going back to work so this was perfect. 

After getting off the train, we headed down to the waterfront, which was absolutely baltic but still very pretty. It was a sunny day, and while there’s no doubt the sea water would be almost impossible to swim in, at least it looked gorgeous. 

Depressingly, the sun was already starting to dip at around 1pm when we were there, but it made for some lovely pictures. The beach is massive, so a good hour was spent walking up and down, climbing to the top of a paved viewpoint to see the stretch of the town beneath. 

For kids, there’s a large play area that was still fairly busy despite the freezing cold weather, so I can only imagine how popular it would be in summer. 

When the cold got almost too much to bear, it was time to get something to eat. Troon is home to so many lovely places, from the chic restaurant Scotts nestled by the marina to plenty of fish and chip shops on the quaint high street. 

One of the main reasons we’d made this trip was to visit The Wee Hurrie, a seafood shack close to the water which had come so highly recommended from family and friends. Fans on TripAdvisor says it’s the ‘best chippie in Scotland’, so it’s fair to say we were looking forward to it. 

We had worked up quite the appetite after the freezing beach walk, so you can imagine our disappointment when we arrived at the Wee Hurrie and it was closed. In hindsight, this was our own fault for not checking beforehand, but it was so cold and I was so hungry that tears were imminent. 

The reason for the closure was because the Scottish fishing fleet was tied up for Christmas, which is completely fair enough. It’s now open as of Friday (January 9) so you best believe I will be heading back as soon as possible for some delicious fish and chips. 

It was around 3pm at this point and we were still on the lookout for food, so we begun the journey back to the centre of town. It started to snow on the way – talk about adding insult to injury – but thankfully it was only a quick flurry which then stopped as rapidly as it began. 

I wasn’t expecting many places on the high street to be open at this time on a Sunday at the beginning of January, but there were loads of people milling about, dipping in and out of restaurants and shops. 

Still fancying fish, we stopped in at Tempura and got a portion of battered prawns and chips each. This hit the spot, and seeing a tempura mars bar on the menu really tickled me. There is no escaping the deep-fried life in Scotland. 

Despite the minor mishap with the original food plans, it was still a great day – although maybe a little too cold just yet. When that first slightly warm March day arrives, I will be heading straight back.