Description:

Robert the Bruce had learned well the sharp lesson delivered at the Battle of Methven. He vowed never again to be caught by a stronger enemy, choosing instead to wage a hit-and-run guerrilla campaign against the English, using tactics similar to those once employed by William Wallace.

Bruce ambushed an English cavalry force led by John Mowbray at Glentrool, inflicting heavy losses. In early May, he showed up in the north of Ayrshire with his army boosted by fresh recruits. There, he quickly ran into his old rival, Aymer de Valence, who was leading the main English force in the area. On 10 May, Bruce took position at Loudoun Hill, about 10 miles east of Kilmarnock and 3 miles east of Darvel in Ayrshire. The only way the English could advance was along the highway through the bog, where Bruce’s men had dug parallel ditches stretching out from the marsh. This left Valence with even less space to deploy his troops, effectively cancelling out the English advantage in numbers. Forced to attack along a narrow front, Valence’s men moved uphill toward the waiting wall of enemy spears.

Bruce's tactics prevented the main English force of three thousand men from mounting a frontal attack at full pace. It was a battle reminiscent in some ways of Stirling Bridge, with the same 'filtering' effect. As Bruce's spearmen pressed downhill on the disorganised English knights the rear ranks began to flee in panic. A hundred or more were killed in the battle. Aymer de Valence himself managed to escape and fled to the safety of Bothwell Castle.