Description:

Robert the Bruce had learned well the sharp lesson delivered at the Battle of Methven, never again would he allow himself to be trapped by a stronger enemy and instead conducted a hit-and-run guerrilla campaign against the English, adopting similar tactics which William Wallace had previously employed.

Bruce ambushed an English cavalry force led by John Mowbray at Glentrool, inflicting heavy losses. He then appeared in the north of Ayrshire in early May, where his army was strengthened by fresh recruits. Here he soon encountered his old foe, Aymer de Valence, commanding the main English force in the area. Bruce took up a position on 10 May at Loudoun Hill, some 10 miles east of Kilmarnock and about 3 miles east of Darvel in Ayrshire.

The only approach the English force could take was over the highway through the bog, where the parallel ditches dug by Bruce's men outwards from the marsh restricted his room for deployment still further, effectively neutralising the English' superior numbers. Valence was forced at attack along a narrowly constricted front upwards towards the waiting 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.