Southern Scotland - Scotland - page 362

For a real dose of luxury, head 5 miles southeast to Knockinaam Lodge (
01776-810471; www.knockinaamlodge.com ; dinner, bed & breakfast s £215-340, d
£340-440; ) , a former hunting lodge in a dramatic, secluded location with grassy
lawns rolling down to a sandy cove. It's where Churchill plotted the endgame of WWII -
you can stay in his suite - and it's a very romantic place to get away from it all. The excel-
lent French-influenced cuisine (lunch/dinner £40/58) is backed up by a great range of
wines and single malts, and breakfast features home-made jams.
Bus 367 runs to Stranraer (20 minutes, hourly Monday to Saturday, three Sunday).
South of Portpatrick
From Portpatrick, the road south to the Mull of Galloway passes coastal scenery that in-
cludes rugged cliffs, tiny harbours and sandy beaches. Dairy cattle graze on the greenest
grass you've ever seen, and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream give the peninsula the
mildest climate in Scotland.
This mildness is demonstrated at Logan Botanic Garden ( www.rbge.org.uk/logan ;
adult/child £5.50/1; 10am-4pm Sun Feb, 10am-5pm daily mid-Mar-Oct) , a mile north
of Port Logan, where an array of subtropical flora includes tree ferns and cabbage palms.
The garden is an outpost of the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. Port Logan itself is
a sleepy place with a decent pub and excellent sandy beach.
Further south, Drummore is a fishing village on the east coast. From here it's another 5
miles to the Mull of Galloway , Scotland's most southerly point. It's a spectacular spot,
with windswept green grass and views of Scotland, England, the Isle of Man and Northern
Ireland. The lighthouse (adult/child £2.50/1; 10am-4pm Sat & Sun Easter-Oct, plus
Mon Jul & Aug) here was built by Robert Stevenson, grandfather of the writer, in 1826.
You can learn more about the Stevenson clan of lighthouse builders in the small exhibi-
tion ( www.mull-of-galloway.co.uk ; adult/child £2.50/1; 10am-4pm Easter-Oct) at the
lighthouse's base. The Mull of Galloway RSPB nature reserve, home to thousands of
seabirds, has a visitor centre ( www.rspb.org.uk ; 10am-5pm) with plenty of informa-
tion on local species, and a cafe.
The former homes of the lightkeepers are available to stay in; check out www.ntsholi
days.com.