We have officially made it to March, and hopefully it won’t be long until those warmer spring days. There’s really no better way to welcome in the new season than to visit a new town or village and spend the day exploring, and here in the UK, we definitely aren’t short on places to go.

One seaside town not far from a major city should be on your radar for spring. Troon, around a half hour from Glasgow, is a massive hit with tourists over the summer months, but less so for the rest of the year. I visited back in January and I can’t wait to go back, because my trip was very nearly ruined by one small detail.

Nestled on Scotland’s west coast and overlooking the Firth of Clyde, Troon offers an idyllic seaside retreat from urban life. My last visit was around age 15 and never during winter, but I was really craving that fresh sea air.

When we got off the train, we made our way to the waterfront, which was cold yet beautiful. The day was sunny, and although the sea would have been way too chilly for a dip, at least it looked stunning.

The sun began to set around 1pm during our visit, but it made for some lovely pictures. The beach is big, so we spent a good hour wandering up and down, climbing to the top of a viewpoint to take in the panoramic view of the town below.

For children, there’s a large play area which was reasonably busy despite the bitter cold conditions.

When the chill became nearly unbearable, it was time to find some food. Troon has loads of lovely eateries, from the stylish restaurant Scotts situated by the marina to various fish and chip shops along the charming high street.

Ensure our latest lifestyle and travel headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

One of the main reasons we’d made the trip was to visit The Wee Hurrie, a seafood shack near the waterfront which had been so enthusiastically recommended by family and friends. Fans on TripAdvisor call it the ‘best chippie in Scotland’, so it’s fair to say our expectations were high.

We had built up quite an appetite following the freezing beach walk, so you can imagine our dismay when we reached the Wee Hurrie and found it closed. In retrospect, this was our own mistake for not checking beforehand, but it was so cold and I was so hungry that it didn’t make it any less annoying.

The reason for the closure was that the Scottish fishing fleet was tied up for Christmas, which is entirely understandable. It’s now open again, so you’d best believe I will be returning as soon as possible for some delicious fish and chips.

By around 3pm, we were still on the hunt for food and began our return to the town centre. I hadn’t anticipated much activity on the high street at this hour on a Sunday in early January, but there was a bustling crowd, with people weaving in and out of eateries and shops.

Still craving seafood, we popped into Tempura and each ordered a serving of battered prawns and chips. This satisfied our hunger perfectly, and spotting a tempura Mars bar on the menu made me laugh.

It seems there’s no escaping the deep-fried culture in Scotland.

Despite the slight hiccup with our dining plans, it was an lovely day overall – albeit a bit too cold. As soon as that first hint of warmth hits in spring, I’ll be making a beeline back there.