A location in the centre of Irvine Bay, North Ayrshire, Gailes is now a centre for golf, with four links courses to be found here; namely Dundonald Links, Glasgow Gailes Golf Course, North Gailes Golf Centre and Western Gailes Golf Course. Also here are the Gailes Hotel and the Gailes Marsh Nature Reserve. The ruins of North Gailes farm can still be seen. Irvine lies 1½ miles (2.5 km) to the north, while Barassie is located 2 miles (3 km) to the south, where there are two further golf courses. A railway station opened here in 1839 and closed 1967, although the Ayrshire Coast Line remain in use. The first aeroplane seen in Ayrshire flew over Gailes in 1910. A radar station known as RAF Fullarton was built here during the Second World War and this developed into a short-lived ROTOR air-defence station between 1950-56, known as RAF Gailes. In 1962 this became a civilian staff air-traffic control facility for Prestwick Airport, but closed in 1978.
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