Route: Killantringan
Area: Dumfries and Galloway
Date of walk: 11th April 2017
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 8.7 miles
Weather: Light cloud, some sunny intervals
We started today’s walk where we’d ended yesterday’s – in the little harbour town of Portpatrick. The Southern Upland Way, a long distance route from coast to coast, starts at the harbour and we climbed the steps out of the town to reach the cliff top. The Southern Upland Way is well waymarked and navigation was a simple affair
We followed the undulating path past the golf course and then down to the bays of Port Mora and Port Kale, in both of which we had sightings of grey seals
From here the path climbed up again to reach Ouchtriemakain Moor, where we had an easy stroll across the cliff tops to the far point of our walk – the Killantringan Lighthouse. We then headed inland along a track which joined up with the B738. There followed a rather dull trudge in equally dull weather until we reached Dunskey Garden. The gardens are open from March and so we took the opportunity to walk around them for a while before taking a path through the estate which runs parallel with the road for a while. This brought us back in to Portpatrick to conclude another wonderful walk in this area
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Portpatrick Harbour at the start of today's walk...
We follow the start of the long distance trail known as the Southern Upland Way
Looking back down the steps as we climb up to the cliff tops
The Irish Sea
Herring gull
Further along the Southern Upland Way...
We pass by the Dunskey Golf Course
Approaching the beaches of Port Mora and Port Kale, separated by a small outcrop of rock...
Port Mora
We descend to the beach and pass by a small waterfall
Port Mora beach
We climb away from the beach
As we do so, it's a thrill to spot a seal
We arrive at the adjoining stony beach of Port Kale...
We climb the steps away from the beach (spotting another seal as we did so)
The path heads to the cliff tops again
Looking back down to Port Kale
Killantringan Lighhtouse comes into view as we stride out across Ouchtriemakain Moor
Killantringan Lighhtouse, which marks the furthest point of our walk
Killantringan Bay
We now head inland to start the return journey
Looking back to the lighthouse
A photo of the road section, which was rather dull in comparison with what had gone before
We arrive at the gates of Dunskey Gardens
We visit the Walled Garden, which will be at its best in summer
We leave the Walled Garden to explore the woodland areas
There's a choice of waymarked paths, and a map is provided at the entrance
The Old Loch...
Boathouse on the New Loch
We return through the woodland
We retrace our steps down the drive and turn off just before the road
The path back to Portpatrick takes us through a bluebell wood
We follow a track back into Portpatrick
We arrive at the harbour
Black Guillemot in the harbour (they are known in Scotland as 'Tysties')
The end of a superb coastal walk
...but not the end of the day, as we drove to the nearby Mull of Galloway, the most southerly place in Scotland
Looking along the cliffs...
The lighthouse, known as Stevenson Tower - on a clear day Scotland, Ireland, Isle of Man and Cumbria may be seen
Small building below the lighthouse
On the way back to our hotel, a couple of roe deer
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