Robert Burns was born in a small cottage in Alloway on 25 January 1759. By the time of his death only 35 years later he had become Scotland's best-loved poet and, perhaps more importantly, the symbol of the regeneration of a nation. Born in a humble cottage in Alloway, Burns Cottage was built in 1757 by the hands of Robert Burns’ father, William Burns. The simple “Auld Clay Biggin” where the World’s most loved poet was born has long been a must-see destination. Famous visitors have included John Keats, Clark Gable and Muhammed Ali. The cottage has been fully restored to its original condition and tells the story of the childhood world of Robert Burns.

Just along the road the late medieval Brig O’Doon was chosen by Burns for the climax of his tale, Tam O’Shanter. Spanning the beautiful river Doon, the auld brig gives visitors a chance to walk on the very spot where Tam’s mare, Meg, made her last heroic leap for freedom - leaving her tail still in the clutches of Nan, the “Cutty Sark” witch. The brig and its surroundings have long been a favourite of landscape painters. There are a number of paintings of the brig in the Burns Cottage Museum, one of the best of these being by the painter and antiquarian, David Roberts.