Rickwood House

hotel style guest house / b&b accommodation
portpatrick by stranraer

Heugh Road - Portpatrick - South West Scotland

15 June 2011

We recently had solar panels fitted to generate some of our own energy from the Portpatrick sunshine. Rickwood is doing its bit to reduce its carbon footprint. We had a wood burning stove installed in our own lounge earlier this year and we source most of our wood from the beach! We compost any vegetable waste and we have had a device fitted to the Raeburn in our kitchen enabling us to reduce greatly the time it is burning oil.

31 May 2011

We are having our website redesigned and are eagerly awaiting the results. Please keep checking.

Our home made shortbread is proving even more popular and Maggie is trying her best to keep up with demand! We are often asked for the recipie - the main ingredient is butter from Rowan Glen near Newton Stewart. Last year, our shortbread raised over £200 for Save the Children and we hope to exceed £250 this year.

Our "Kiwi Special" breakfast option is proving very popular. We introduced this for the 2011 season and it comprises bacon with banana, topped with maple syrup, drizzled with cinnamon, garnished with kiwi fruit and served on a toasted muffin. Guests from Switzerland have ordered it three days in succession!

Portpatrick Area - Gardens Update -15 May 2011

Glenwhan Gardens near Dunragit are to feature in The Beechgrove Garden on Monday 16 May (BBC1 Scotland 7.30). This is a tribute for the unique garden`s 31st birthday and in the show, Jim McColl takes a tour of the grounds.

Meantime, six gardens, all within easy travelling distance of Portpatrick, have joned forces to form The Gardens of Galloway - Scotland`s Garden Route. Gardens participating are Logan Botanic Gardens, Logan House, Ardwell Gardens, Castle Kennedy and Gardens, Portpatrick`s own Dunskey Gardens and Glenwhan Gardens. A "passport" is available from their new website which entitles visitors to a discount off the entry price. For garden enthusiasts, Portpatrick is centrally placed to visit all six gardens with the nearest being within walking distance while the others are only a short drive away.Four of the gardens also have tea rooms

1 May 2011

Portpatrick - Killantringan Lighhouse & Southern Upland Way

We are having a fabulous spell of weather over the last few weeks. Took the opportunity today to walk the first section of the Southern Upland Way from Portpatrick to Killantringan Lighthouse and as you will see the landscape was looking absolutely stunning!

Easter 2011 in Portpatrick

The sun shone on Portpatrick on Easter Saturday and our Putting Green was a popular attraction!

8 April 2011

Visitors Return to Portpatrick Harbour

Every year a number of Black Guillemots arrive in Portpatrick and nest in the nooks and crannies in the harbour wall

These cute little black and white birds with bright red legs and mouths are not unlike penguins and are also known as tysties . Up to 10 pairs can be seen at times.

Portpatrick Harbour - Black Guillemots

28 March 2011

Scottish Hotel Awards 2011

We were delighted to win the Scottish Guest House Customer Care Award at the Scottish Hotel Award ceremony held in Glasgow last night. This was in the National Excellence category. It was a great feeling to be up there with some of the iconic names in Scottish tourism including The Torridon Hotel, Glenapp Castle and many others!

Dumfries & Galloway did very well picking up a total of 11 Awards across the region. Local winners included Hillcrest House in Wigtown, Blackaddie Country House Hotel in Sanquhar and the Selkirk Arms in Kirkcudbright. A good result for South West Scotland!

12 March 2011

Portpatrick in the Evening Light

Here is a recent photo showing Portpatrick in the late evening glow from the setting sun.

March 2011

Galdenoch Castle near Portpatrick

Found a new walk today on WalkHighlands website and thought I`d try it out. It is a fairly short walk from Galdenoch Castle to Salt Pans Bay. The castle is only about 7 miles from Portpatrick but it is so little known that we had never heard of it until now. Will be posting details of the walk to portpatrick info soon, meantime here is a photo of the castle. There are many castles within a short distance from Portpatrick

Galdenoch Castle nr Portpatrick

Dumfries & Galloway Wildlife Festival

2 April - 25 April 2011

The 8th Dumfries & Galloway Wildlife Festival is the biggest ever with over 90 events included in this years programme. We have highlighted some of the events taking place nearest to Portpatrick and we hope that you will stay with us here at Rickwood while you enjoy what the Wildlife Festival has to offer.

2 -25 April - Logan Botanic Gardens- Woodlanders Exhibition

2 April - Laurieston - Red Kite Feeding Station Open Day

5 April - Castle Kennedy near Stranraer - Champion Tree Walk

6 April - Wigtown - Gaggles of Geese

7 April - Newton Stewart - Archaeology Walk.

7 April - Logan Botanic Gardens - Paper Makingleaves, grass, fungi and other materials.

7 April - Logan Botanic Gardens - Bugs & Beasties

10 April - Clatteringshaws - Bird calls for beginners

12 April - Logan Botanic Gardens - The Arrival of Spring

12 & 19April - Logan Botanic Gardens - Bird Box Making

13 April - Kirroughtree near Newton Stewart - Orienteering for Beginners

13 & 20 April - Wigtown - Gaggles of Geese

14 April - Castle Kennedy Gardens nr Stranraer - Brilliant Bugs and Deluxe Hotels

14 April - Logan Botanic Gardens - Bird Feeder Making

15 & 22 April - Wigtown - Fish up Close

16 April - Wigtown - RSPB Wigtown Bay Open Day

16 April - Wigtown - Ospreys are back in Galloway

17 April - Kirroughtee nr Newton Stewart - Wood is Great.

19 April - Castle Kennedy Gardens - Signs of Spring Walk

20 April - Glentrool - Spring Colour Photography

21 April - Logan Botanic Gardens - Fun with Botanical Art

21 April - Kirkcudbright - Bumble Bee Walk

21-26 April - Castle Kennedy Gardens - Easter Egg Bonanza

22 & 25 April - Mull of Galloway - Mull of Galloway Guided Walk

A guided walk around the Mull of Galloway looking at flara and fauna. Also opportunitites to view the returning seabirds and look for harbour porpoises along the tidal race.

24 April - Kirroughtree near Newton Stewart - Easter at Kirroughtree

12 February 2011

Stranraer Town Centre Improvements

Visitors to Portpatrick last year will have seen the start of the major face-lift being undertaken in nearby Stranraer town centre around the Castle of St John.

This work has almost been completed and here is a photo of how it looks at present. The absence of people is due to the fact that the area is still fenced off. We are sure you will agree that the works have greatly improved the appearance of Stranraer Town Centre and make the Castle of St John a focal point for the town.

Stranraer Town Centre

Newton Stewart Walking Festival (Walkfest)

The Newton Stewart Walking Festival takes place between May 6 and 12 this year and will have its most ambitious programme since it started 9 years ago. The festival programme has walks over much of Galloway including nearby Luce Bay and the Castle Kennedy area .The walks are suitable for all abilities ranging from a 33 km challenge from the River Stinchar to the Cree to less strenuous woodland and coastal walks.Why not stay with us here in Portpatrick whilst taking part in the Newton Stewart Walking Festival.

January 2011

After the Hogmanay celebrations, the highlight of which was Life o Reilly piping in the NewYear at the Crown Hotel on the seafront of Portpatrick,the year proper started on New Years afternoon with the "Looney Dook" at Portpatrick Harbour when a good number of intrepid swimmers took to the almost freezing water to raise money for the RNLI.

As for ourselves,we merely contributed rather than participate!

Portpatrick Harbour 1 January 2011

This is the first time in the ten years since we moved to Portpatrick to live and work that we have seen folk sledging on the putting green!

Great fun but here`s hoping Spring arrives soon!

Portpatrick Putting Green -Winter 2011

1 January 2011

Maggie & Fred would like to thank all our guests for your custom and to wish you all a Happy New Year. We hope to welcome many of you again to Rickwood in 2011.

Regular guests may be interested that last year we raised well over £200 for Save the Children from donations for Maggies home made shortbread. Thanks to all contributors.

16 October 2010 Indian Summer in Portpatrick

Too good a day today to spend it all in the kitchen so Maggie took advantage of the Autumn sunshine to caputure this stunning image of the seascape at Killantringan Lighthouse, a couple of miles along the cliff from Portpatrick. You can just make out the wreck of the Craigantlet on the left and the coastline of Ireland in the far distance.

The walk from Portpatrick to Killantringan Lighthouse is one of the best and most popular walks in the Portpatrick area and follows the start of the Southern Upland Way - a 212 mile path from Portpatrick to Cockburnspath on the east coast of Scotland.

Portpatrick Coastal Scenery

Wigtown Book Festival-- 24 September - 3 October 2010

Wigtown in South West Scotland is holding it`s largest ever Book Festival in the last week of September and early October. Why not make Portpatrick your base and incoporate a tour of the South Scotland coastal scenery?

"Big names" attending Wigtown this year include Ian Rankin, Margo MacDonald, Val McDermid, Alasdair Gray, Phyllida Law, Allan Massie, Irma Kurtz, Martin Bell, Sally Magnusson, Barbara Dickson, Charles Jencks, John Byrne and Iain (M) Banks

Wigtown is only about 45 minutes by car from Portpatrick so you can combine a literary event with the coastal charms and peace & quiet that Portpatrick and the Mull of Galloway (the most southerly point in Scotland) can offer.

Wigtown Book Festival

8 August 2010

Rickwood House Strikes Gold !!

We are delighted to have been awarded "Gold Stars" from VisitScotland - the Scottish Tourist Board.

The Gold Award recognises serviced accommodation providers which consistently achieve the highest standards within their VisitScotland grading. It`s only awarded to businesses which excel in customer care & hospitality.

Some time ago, we mentioned on our home page that our aim was to be the best three star guest house in Scotland. As there are at present only nine Guest Houses or B&Bs in the whole of Scotland with three stars and a Gold Award, it seems we may have more or less achieved our goal.

Savour the Flavours - Flavour Fortnight

Dumfries & Galloway`s first region wide celebration of food & drink

4 - 19 September 2010

Almost 50 events throughout Dumfries & Galloway as part of Flavour Fortnight. Nearby events include a Taste of the Rhins - specials and Tapas Afternoon at the Port Logan Inn on 5 & 12 September, Lochinch Castle Food Fair on 5 September, Portpatrick Farmer`s Market on 19 September, Reading Lassies Local Produce (Wigtown) various times during the fortnight and a workshop entitled Food: A Health Revolution at the Sunnyside Deli in Stranraer on 8 September. A brochure can be downloaded at Savour the Flavours Dumfries & Galloway

5 August 2010 - Cairnryan Ferry Terminal (Loch Ryan Port)

Work is well underway on the new ferry terminal at Cairnryan near Stranraer, to be known as Loch Ryan Port . This is scheduled for completion in 2011. We are ideally placed for overnight (or longer) accommodation if travelling to or from Cairnryan and early breakfasts are always available if required.

4 August 2010 - Portpatrick Harbour - The Greasy Pole!

Portpatrick Lifeboat Week 2010

A busy Portpatrick Harbour on Thursday afternoon watching the greasy pole event - part of Portpatrick Lifeboat week. The winner is the one who knocks the other contestant into the water. The reward is one of the lifeboat crew pushing you into the water as well! You may spot a contestant suspended upside down above the water!

As you can see, the weather was fantastic and the days events continued with a quiz at Portpatrick`s Harbour House Hotel.

Portpatrick Harbour RNLI

29 July 2010

"Was that a Whale !!

On a walk this evening on the cliff path above Portpatrick, we spotted a whale jumping in the Irish Sea as it headed northwards. Reports from two other sources confirm this, including a sighting from nearby Sandeel Bay. In the same week, there have been sightings of porpoises and a basking shark near Corsewall Point. The seagull chicks on the cliffs near North Witch Rock are now more or less fully grown. Meantime a small deer has been seen a few times recently in our garden!

22 July 2010

"Portpatrick" Wedding of the Year!

O.K., it was in Glasgow, not Portpatrick but our picture shows our son Graham and our new Daughter-in-Law Fiona Findlay outside the Chapel at Glasgow University shortly after their lovely wedding ceremony on 22 July.

Congratulations to both of you and welcome, Fiona to the Findlay clan!

Our photo shows Fred & Maggie, Graham & Fiona and our daughter and part-time helper at Rickwood, Alyson.

As you will see, the sun shone for the photographs and also for the reception for "al-fresco" canapes.

Graham & Fiona are now on honeymoon in South Africa and we wish them every happiness in their life together.

11 July 2010

Portpatrick Hosts Ayrshire Vintage Commercial Vehicle Club Rally

Portpatrick was temporary home to a large number of vintage commercial vehicles on Saturday when the annual rally fleet stayed overnight and filled all available accommodation in Portpatrick. Participant numbers were up on last year despite the economic climate and the event was enjoyed by all and provided quite a spectacle with a wide selection of vehicles on display

The rally started in Ayr on Saturday morning then drove to Cumnock for lunch. Then on to Portpatrick for a meal in the Village Hall and an overnight stay, with three of the owners staying with us for B&B at Rickwood. On Sunday the vehicles left Portpatrick in a procession and drove on to Wigtown before returning to Ayr.

Some of the more unusual participants were this fire engine (above) seen parked near the Portpatrick Hotel and, on the right, a Lomond Single Malt Tanker parked outside Rickwood, Unfortunately, it was empty!

Other interesting vehicles included a MacBraynes Coach from Islay and a Green Goddess.

Whisky delivery to Portpatrick Hotel?

9 July 2010

Congratulations to regular Rickwood guests, twins Sharon and Nicola, on a recent "big" birthday they celebrated in Portpatrick along with their family. We won`t say which big "0" it was !!

17 June 2010

First Portpatrick Farmers Market and other events near Portpatrick and Mull of Galloway

Theres a lot happening this weekend in and around Portpatrick. Portpatrick hosts its first Farmers Market on Sunday 20 June at 2pm in Portpatrick Village Hall.

On Saturday, 19th the Luce Bay Triathlon starts at 9.30am at the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse. The event is in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support.

Also, from 18-20 June, volunteer anglers will be taking part in Sharkatag with the objective of tagging as many inshore sharks as possible from boats, kayaks and from the shore.

Finally, don`t forget the annual Vintage Truck Rally comes to Portpatrick on 10 July.

12 June 2010- Goldfinches at Rickwood in Portpatrick

We were amazed to see no less than six goldfinches outside our back window, this evening, feeding on the seeds from the long grasses.

Sail to the Isle of Man from Garlieston - 24 & 25 June 2010

Day trip to visit Douglas on the Isle of Man. The Balmoral leaves Garlieston Harbour at 10.00 am on the 24th and at 10.30 on the 25th and arrives back at Garlieston at 9.30pm and 10.00pm respectively

Either have a day trip to Douglas or join the Vintage Steam Railway for a trip round the island`s beautiful countryside.

We are happy to provide an early breakfast at Rickwood for anyone combining this trip with a visit to Portpatrick. See www.waverlyexcursions.co.uk for details

7 June 2010

Guests walking from Portpatrick to Killantringan recently were captivated by the seagull chicks on the cliffs near the old Coastguard Station and also by the orchids growing near Killantringan Lighthouse on the Southern Upland Way.

A recent guest wrote in our visitor`s book "TripAdvisor was right!"

25 May 2010
First Guest at Rickwood - Quality Accommodation in Portpatrick

The day we took over Rickwood, almost 10 years ago, Mrs Muriel Addison, along with her bowling friends were our very first guests. Every year during the first week in August, Portpatrick Bowling Green was full of visiting bowlers.

Muriel has been coming to Portpatrick for about 25 years and has been a regular at Rickwood B&B ever since we arrived.

We were delighted to welcome Muriel again recently along with her daughter, Lesley and grand-daughter, Katherine to celebrate Katherine's forthcoming graduation.

14 May 2010
Gardens near Portpatrick celebrate 30th anniversay

Glenwhan Gardens, near Portpatrick are one of the most popular of the many gardens in our area. Regular guests may be interested to know that on 16 May, the owners celebrate the 30th anniversary of opening to the public by holding a Hog Roast. Tessa & Bill Knott created the gardens from bare land into the spectacular attraction it is today. They say that they were inspired by Logan Botanic Gardens, another favourite among visitors to Portpatrick.

30 April 2010
Egg Suppliers to Portpatrick Hotels and B&Bs win award

We were delighted to learn that our local egg suppliers, E&J Dalrymple of Stranraer are joint winners of the Scottish Egg Quality Awards. The winners were chosen after the Scottish Agricultural College carried out quality assessments. Congratualtions to Elaine & John and good luck for next year. 

25 April 2010
Portpatrick Beach Clean

Every year, volunteers assist with a clean up of Sandeel Bay and Lairds Bay organised by Portpatrick Community Council.

Fred went along to give them a hand and our picture shows the squad having their lunch at Sandeel Bay about a mile along the cliff from Portpatrick.

Rickwood Guest House / B&B in Portpatrick is pleased to support Portpatrick Community Council in this worthwhile cause.

28 March 2010
New "Welcome to Portpatrick" sign

Regular visitors to Portpatrick may be interested to know that our village sign has been renewed.

I think the last one had been there since before England won the World Cup!

Let us know what you think of it, we quite like it!

The sign was designed by pupils at Portpatrick Primary School and depicts local landmarks, the Dorn Rock, the beach at Portpatrick harbour and our lighthouse.

3 March 2010
Portpatrick Information - our new website

We are often asked for information about things to do and places to go when staying in Portpatrick. To help you find out more about Portpatrick, the Mull of Galloway and area, we are building an additional website which, we hope, will help you to plan your holiday in Portpatrick and, perhaps, encourage you to stay a bit longer.There are so many things to see and do in and around Portpatrick, South West Scotland and even Northern Ireland. Portpatrick makes an ideal base for your holiday.

We hope you will bookmark our site and return to it from time to time as it develops.

www.portpatrick.info

10 January 2010
First of all, Happy New Year to all of our guests, past and future!

While January was a cold month for Portpatrick, we escaped the worst of the snow - we had just enough to cover the countryside and the temperature was positively mild compared to Castle Douglas where it was minus 14 one morning when we were passing. We have had some great walks on the cliffs at Portpatrick over the last few weeks and saw a pod of dolphins on several days.

Fred has been kept busy as he is involved in Destination Dumfries & Galloway, a new organisation some of us are setting up to promote the delights of Dumfries & Galloway to those of you out there who have yet to visit our beautiful and peaceful corner of South West Scotland.

Meanwhile, we have also been busy getting everything ready for what we hope will be another busy year.

We would like to thank all our guests last year for your custom and support and we hope that we will see many of you again at Rickwood this year.

2 November 2009
Maggie completes Lake District Wainwrights

At last, after about 18 years, Maggie, accompanied by Fred and daughter Alyson, climbed Blencathra, Maggie's final Wainwright. These are the 214 mountains and hills mentioned by Alfred Wainwright in his guides to the Lakeland Fells.

We had hoped to ascend by Sharp Edge, the most difficult route, but due to the cold, wet and windy weather we reluctantly opted for the second route in order of difficulty, Narrow Edge. It was quite scarey in parts as the rocks were very wet and slippery but we made it and our photo, taken by the only other people we met on the hill that day shows the three of us having a quick lunch break before the long descent. What a day!

After a night's celebrations and an overnight stay at our favourite guest house in Keswick, Pitcairn House (in Blencathra Street strangely enough!) it was back to Portpatrick to get ready for our holidays.

4th - 6th September
Portpatrick Folk Festival - 2009

Once again our corner of South West Scotland will be alive with the sounds of folk music with our annual Folk Festival taking place from 4 - 6 September.

Highlights include a ceilidh in Portpatrick Village Hall featuring local band, Life O`Riley who some of you will have seen at their regular venue - the Crown Hotel.

On the Saturday night there will be a concert in the village hall with, among others, Grada ,an excellent five piece band from Ireland and  also local songer Robyn Stapleton. Failte, another Irish band are also playing at the Crown that night.

Hopefully the sun will shine which always encourages various informal outdoor sessions but, even if the weather isn`t that good there will be lots of sessions happening in the Portpatrick bars, includuing the Mount Stewart, the Waterfront and the Downshire. All are welcome at these sessions and the atmosphere in Portpatrick is always superb.

If the weather stays fine, there wil be more outdoor sessions on the Sunday afternoon.

8 August 2009
Life-boat Week in Portpatrick

Lifeboat week was an unquallfied success again this year. It started in glorious weather on the Saturday with the RIB boat race from Donaghadee in Northern Ireland to Portpatrick harbour. There were various events throughout the week with the Stranraer Round Table Raft Race on the Friday evening being very well attended as can be seen from our picture of some of the rafts in Portpatrick harbour passing in front of Carlton Guest House.

Portpatrick was really busy on the final Saturday which included demonstration rescues from the RNLI and a spectacular firework display at the end of the day, sponsored by Portpatrick Holidays.

26 July 2009
Saxophone Ensemble play outside Crown Hotel in Portpatrick

Another sunny Saturday in Portpatrick when we were lucky to have a saxophone ensemble all the way from Northern Ireland performing outside Portpatrick's Crown Hotel.

14 July 2009
Annual Vintage Trucks Rally in Portpatrick

On Saturday about 80 vintage trucks arrived in Portpatrick from various places all over the UK for an overnight stay in the village where drivers and friends had a meal in Portpatrick village hall. They left on Sunday morning in procession to go to Wigtown where they were on display in the town's showfield at lunchtime. Just about every spare parking space in Portpatrick was filled by a vintage truck - quite a spectacle!

Our picture shows a vintage David Brown tractor belonging to one of our guests above the hedge at Rickwood.

Next event in Portpatrick is Lifeboat Week which starts on 1 August.

29 June 2009
Eventful Weekend in Portpatrick

It was a busy weekend in this corner of South West Scotland.

The weather was fantastic and on Saturday afternoon there were numerous boats visiting Portpatrick harbour listening to an impromtu session from a local band outside the Mount Stewart Hotel. (a bit like the Beatles "Get Back!!)

On Saturday evening there was a bbq and bonfire on the harbour to celebrate the resignation of our long serving harbour master, Willie Ramsay.

01 July 2009
Good news for Walkers - Stranraer to Glenapp Footpath Opens

The new coastal footpath from Stranraer to Glenapp via Cairnryan is now completed and opened last week. The path joins on to the Ayrshire Coastal Footpath which means that you can walk from Portpatrick to Stranraer on the Southern Upland Way then from Stranraer to Skelmorlie in North Ayrshire -if you have the time and energy!

If any of our guests would like to walk the new section which is about 11 miles long we would, wherever possible, be happy to provide one way transport.

25 June 2009
No 1 B&B in Portpatrick, South West Scotland

Our Guest House has been ranked no 1 B&B in Portpatrick by TripAdvisor for the 4th consecutive month. Many thanks to all who contributed. Next step - best B&B in South West Scotland?

20 June 2009
MBE for regular visitor to Portpatrick Guest House!

We were delighted to learn that Mrs Isobel Aiken from Kendal has also been awarded an MBE for services to the community.

Isobel and her husband Ken have been regular guests at your favourite guest house in Portpatrick, each August for many, many years and our warmest congratulations go to Isobel for her achievement.

16 June 2009
Seals spotted near Sandhead

Regular guests at Rickwood House Hotel, Ian & Nancy Cook told us today that the seals were back on the rocks between Sandhead and Ardwell, just a few miles from Portpatrick.

The seals can often be seen lazing on the rocks at low tide - we hope you like the photo.

14 June 2009
Portpatrick Local Hero awarded MBE

We were delighted to learn that Robert Erskine who has been coxwain of the Portpatrick Life Boat for the last 25 years has received an MBE in the Birthday Honours.
Congratulations, Robert, well done.

When interviewed by the Herald following his award, Robert in his usual modest manner said "I'm just one of the team".

03 June 2009
Osprey Chick hatches near Portpatrick

We were delighted to learn that an osprey chick has hatched today at a secret location near Wigtown. The osprey family can be viewed remotely from Wigtown Town Hall which is about a 40 minute drive from Portpatrick.

28 May 2009
Portpatrick Walks

We are finding that more and more of our guests are interested in walking.

While we have staying from time to time really keen walkers who are about to start the Southern Upland Way which begins in Portpatrick and crosses the whole South of Scotland, we often find guests asking us about shorter walks near Portpatrick and our corner of South West Scotland.

We plan to introduce soon a new page on our website giving descriptions of favourite walks in the Portpatrick area, the Rhins of Galloway (or Rhinns of Galloway as the area is sometimes known) and the Galloway Hills around Newton Stewart.

Portpatrick is an excellent centre for walkers offering a range of walks from easy cliff top walks to demanding hill walks such as the Merrick in Glen Trool near Newton Stewart , the highest peak in Scotland south of Ben Lomond.

Watch this space..............

21 May 2009
Sulwath Brewery, Castle Douglas South West Scotland

We are always keen to promote local produce so we have decided to stock, for a trial period, real ales from Sulwath Brewery in Castle Douglas.

Initially we will stock Criffel - an amber coloured India Pale Ale which is 4.6% abv (for those who know about these things) and Galloway Gold which is a superlative lager and is 5% abv.

Sulwath brew 5 different ales and if there proves to be a demand we will try to stock them all.

Sulwath Brewery is in the centre of Castle Douglas which is about an hour and a quarters drive from Portpatrick and they do conducted tours including tasting!!
Monday - Friday at 1pm.

Castle Douglas itself is a great wee town for a day trip from Portpatrick. Being the Food Town of Dumfries & Galloway it has various delis etc along with excellent cafes and some interesting galleries.

15 April 2009
Open Day at Cream O' Galloway South West Scotland

Cream o' Galloway near Gatehouse of Fleet recently had an open day and Maggie went along to see what they had to offer. Cream o Galloway is ideal for a day out from Portpatrick - about an our byy car but with lots of interestng places to stop off on the way.

Watching the Ice Cream being made is only the start!

There is literally something for all ages!

They have a wonderful Adventure Playground incorporating a tower viewpoint (up 69 steps!).

There is an Assault Course, a Bike Skills Area with Bike Hire, a Pedal Kart Circuit & Forest Trails.

Indoors, there is an indoor play area called the Smugglers Warren.

These are only some of the activities. For full details please see their website: www.creamogalloway.co.uk

Maggie was enchanted by the baby lambs and our photo shows her with her hands full!

22 March 2009
Pink Floyd to play Portpatrick Harbour?

How many of you out there remember Pink Floyd's 70's concept album "Animals" the tracks of which all contained the words sheep, dogs or pigs?

Well you could be excused for thinking the current display outside one of our local gift shops - Smuggler's Cove was advertising a forthcoming Floyd gig - what do you think?

March 2009
HotelReview Scotland Guest House Awards

We are delighted that Rickwood Guest House / B&B in Portpatrick has been voted "Runner-up" for the 2009 Scottish Guest House of the Year Award.

We were also Runner-up for the Guest House Breakfast Award. We can't thank our guests enough for voting for us - it is really appreciated.

1 January 2009
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM RICKWOOD GUEST HOUSE, PORTPATRICK

Maggie & Fred would like to wish all our guests, past and future, a Happy New Year. We hope you will be able to visit us in Portpatrick sometime soon.

8 October 2008
Good News for Walkers visiting Portpatrick - a new coastal path in the making.

Earlier this year, the Ayrshire Coastal Path was opened. This new path links Skelmorlie in the north of Ayrshire with Glenapp - the southern border of Ayrshire and is approximately 100 miles long.

Stranraer Rotary Club have secured funding to extend this path from Glenapp via Cairnryan to Stranraer and it is hoped to open the new section of the path by Spring 2009 It will then be possible to join the Southern Upland Way at Stranraer and continue the walk to Portpatrick.

We hope to be able to assist with transport arrangements for any of our guests who would like to try out these footpaths.

I walked the course of the new Stranraer- Glenapp footpath today and found it to be a most enjoyable route, particularly south of Cairnryan where the path climbs to a spectacular viewpoint. The new path will be about 10 miles long. The photo shows some of the numerous swans on the shores of Loch Ryan at the start of the path.

15 September 2008
Knockinaam Lodge, Portpatrick named by Coast Magazine as Best Coastal Restaurant in Britain

We are delighted to congratulate David & Sian Ibbotson and Michelin star holding chef Tony Pierce on Knockinaam Lodge near Portpatrick having been named in the October 2008 edition of Coast Magazine as one of the Top Ten Coastal Restaurants in the UK and number one for a stunning location.

It is really good to see yet another hospitality business in Portpatrick receiving a major accolade. For a small village Portpatrick is doing really well. The Crown Hotel was awarded AA Seafood Pub of the Year a few years ago while both ourselves and the Fernhill Hotel have won awards from HotelReview Scotland this year.Quite a boost for the South of Scotland.

If any of our guests wish to sample the excellent cuisine on offer from Knockinaam, we will be delighted to provide transport there and back.

5-7 September 2008
Portpatrick Folk Festival

The annual Folk Festival took place in Portpatrick this weekend and, despite the weather being disappointing, on the Friday evening and part of Saturday, it was a great success as usual. There were excellent sessions in the pubs and the village hall along with formal concerts and a ceilidh.

By Sunday, the weather had improved greatly and our picture shows two regular guests at Rickwood and the Portpatrick Folk Festival, David & Lizzie Drife enjoying an al-fresco session in the sunshine.

The next musical event locally is the Creetown Country Music Festival which takes place between 18 and 21 September. We still have a few vacancies at Rickwood  for anyone who would like to make Portpatrick their base while attending the festival and full details of the event can be found at www.creetown-countrymusic-festival.com.

Guest House:
Warm Scottish Welcome

6 August 2008

Earlier this year, Rickwood was fortunate enough to win an award at the 2008  "Scottish Hotel Oscars"  organised by HotelReview Scotland. The ceremony was held in Prestonfield House in Edinburgh and was hosted by Sally Magnusson.

Dumfries & Galloway fared particularly well at the event as five other business in the region also won awards or commendations. What`s more, two accommodation providers in Portpatrick were award winners.

Our award was for the category- Scottish Guest House: Warm Scottish Welcome and we were also finalists for the Scottish Guest House of the Year!

A big thank you from Maggie & Fred to all our guests who voted for us. 

27 July 2008

Lifeboat Week in Portpatrick got off to a fantastic start on Sunday when, once again, the weather was just perfect. The village was very busy and all the guest houses, hotels and B&Bs were fully booked.

The day kicked off with a short open-air service followed by music from the local pipe band. After that there was live entertainment outside the Crown.

There were pony and cart rides for the young at heart and it was warm enough for some local lads to cool off by jumping off the harbour-side.

Our picture shows a busy Portpatrick Harbour with some of the RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) which were taking part in the annual race from Northern Ireland to Portpatrick.

24 July 2008

We had a visit from our daughter, Alyson today. It was her 30th birthday - where did all the years go?

It was great to see her so we made the most of the wonderful weather and took a bottle of very special wine (brought all the way from New Zealand)  along the cliff path to Sandeel Bay, where we toasted a wonderful daughter. After that, we walked back to Portpatrick and had a meal outside the Waterfront Hotel on the harbour side at Portpatrick,.

12 July 2008

This is the  weekend when Portpatrick is visited overnight by more than 100 vintage trucks and their crew for their annual rally. Every parking space is full and the village is packed with visitors coming to see the spectacle. We had three of the drivers staying at Rickwood overnight. Once again we were blessed with fine weather (later on anyway). The photo shows our son Graham with his partner, Fiona alongside one of the lorries on the seafront.

The next major event inPortpatrick is Lifeboat Week which kicks off on Sunday 27 July with the spectacular RIB  (Rigid Inflatable Boat) race from Ireland to Portpatrick Harbour. This is followed by live music outside the Crown Hotel.

Main events during the week include:-

Monday - Race night in the village hall and beat the goalie competition
Tuesday- Golf Competition at Portpatrick, Dunskey Golf Course, Family Fun Run, Wheelie Bin Race and Car Treasure Hunt.
Wednesday- RNLI Golf Competition, Family Quiz & live music at the Crown
Thursday- Greasy Pole Competition ( always good for a laugh) Coffee Morning, Face Painting, Pet Show, Fun Putting and Quiz Night in Harbour House.
Friday- Greasy Pole Competition (part 2) , Round Table Raft Race and a dance in Portpatrick village hall.
Saturday- Cliff Rescue Demonstration, Wheel of Fortune & Balloon Race and the grand finale-- bonfire& fireworks

All in all it promises to be a fun packed week!

Portpatrick RNLI Lifeboat Week
July 27 - August 2

As a result of a cancellation, we now have a double room available during lifeboat week. We look forward to hearing from you if you are looking for accommodation at this time as the village is normally fully booked well in advance.

Lifeboat week is a very popular time to stay in Portpatrick as there are various events on such as demonstrations by the Coastguard and RNLI, live music, sporting competitions and a firework display on the final evening.

26 May 2008

Another busy Bank Holiday and another fantastic day in Portpatrick! Long may this wonderful weather continue.

Our daughter Alyson came to visit us this weekend and our picture shows her relaxing in Dunskey Castle, a spectacular ruined castle dating back to the 16th century.

Dunskey Castle is a short walk along the cliffs - only 10-15 minutes from Portpatrick harbour and is well worth the climb up those steps!

Portpatrick Folk Festival 2008

We have been asked by a few guests for the dates of the Portpatrick Folk Festival.

It seems to be a closely guarded secret but we can reveal that is is from Friday 5th September to Sunday 7th September!

There will be a concert in the village hall on the Friday and Saturday evenings and, as usual, informal sessions in the local bars and outside if weather permits. We are filling up fast for that weekend.

www.portpatrickfolkfestival.org

6 May 2008

It was a busy weekend at your favourite guest house in Portpatrick. 97 Left Handed golfers were in Portpatrick for a tournament and every B&B, Guest House and accommodation provider was full.

The weather was splendid, especially on Monday and our photo shows holiday makers sitting outside the hotels on Portpatrick harbour enjoying the sunshine and looking quite continental!

April 2008

29 March 2008

Saturday was a big day for the Findlays from Portpatrick in South West Scotland as Fred was climbing his final Munro (284 Mountains in Scotland over 3000 feet high).

Fred and Maggie and 9 family members and friends made it to the top (only just) in what turned out to be blizzard conditions.