Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WALKS AROUND PORTPATRICK
Ordnance Survey Explorer map 309
For a spectacular one-mile circular stroll from Portpatrick along the sea cliffs to the shattered
ruins of
Dunskey Castle
, follow the coastline south from the harbour until you reach the
steps leading up to the cliffs. The route up to the castle, a sixteenth-century L-shaped tower
house, is quite vertiginous in places but the way back via the disused railway is less hair-raising.
An easy four-mile circular walk takes you north from Main Street to
Dunskey Gardens
.
From there head southwest following the stream down Dunskey Glen to the coast to link up
with the
Southern Upland Way
, which takes you back to the quayside.
north of Port Logan, a marvellously exotic place where the mild air brought by the
Gulf Stream supports an eye-opening abundance of tree ferns and palm trees. Check
out the primeval giant Brazilian rhubarb in the Gunnera Bog, take a wander in the
woods to the south, and head for the enormous walled gardens, where you'll find a
water garden, a peat garden (the first ever), and a massive 20ft-high beech hedge.
3
Mull of Galloway
Right at the southern tip of the Rhinns peninsula, the isolated
Mull of Galloway
is well
worth the ride and really feels like the end of the road. From this precipitous headland on
a clear day you can see the Isle of Man and the coasts of Ireland and England. he
southernmost point in Scotland, it's a favourite nesting spot for guillemots, razorbills,
kittiwakes, shag, fulmar and even a few pu
n; skeins of gannets fish here, too, from their
gannetry on the Scares, clearly visible to the east. he headland is also an RSPB reserve -
good for linnets and twite - with a
visitor centre
in a building near the
lighthouse
.
Mull of Galloway Lighthouse
Mull of Galloway • Easter-June & Sept-Oct Sat-Sun 10am-4pm; July & Aug Sat-Mon 10am-4pm • £2.50
•
T
01776 840554,
W
mull-of-galloway.co.uk
Sited 325ft above sea level at the southern end of the Rhinns peninsula, the
Mull of
Galloway Lighthouse
, built by Robert Stevenson, was manned from 1830 until as
recently as 1988. Today there's a small museum with old photos and running videos
but it's the heady view from the top that impresses the most.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
MULL OF GALLOWAY
By bus
The nearest bus stop is 4 miles north at Drummore,
with services to Port Logan (Mon-Sat 5 daily; 10min) and
Stranraer (Mon-Sat 6 daily; 40min).
RSPB Visitor Centre
Next to the lighthouse. (April to
mid-Oct daily 10am-4pm;
T
01988 402130,
W
rspb.org
.uk). Provides a wealth of material about local bird, plant
and marine life, and has live images of bird colonies
nesting on the cliffs.
EATING
Gallie Craig
Just south of the lighthouse
T
01776
840558,
W
galliecraig.co.uk.
Perched on the cliff edge,
roofed with turf and with a panoramic glass wall and
terrace looking out to the sea, Scotland's most southerly
building provides armchair birdwatching while you enjoy
some tea, home-baking or reasonably priced hot food
(soup and crusty bread for £3.50).
Nov, Feb & March Sat-
Wed 11am-4pm, April-Oct daily 10am-5.30pm.
