Rickwood B&B

Things to do and Places to go near Portpatrick

While Portpatrick is literally at the end of the road (the A77 from Glasgow) it is an excellent centre for touring beautiful countryside on quiet roads.

The following pages give some suggestions for days away from Portpatrick to help you plan your holiday.

From Portpatrick you can explore southwards to the Mull of Galloway, Scotland`s Lands End.

Eastward to villages such as Isle of Whithorn, Wigtown – Scotland`s Book Town, Kirkcudbright and Castle Douglas

North -East to Galloway Forest Park, The Galloway Hills, New Galloway , the Raiders Road and the Glenkens.

Northwards to Ayr via the stunning coast around Turnberry and Dunure, perhaps including a visit to Culzean Castle or the Robert Burns Centre near Ayr. A colony of seals can often be seen on rocks close to the road near Lendalfoot.

There is even the option to head West on a sail to Northern Ireland.from Loch Ryan Port which is only 25 minutes away with the possibility of shopping in Belfast, visit the Titanic Centre or maybe a visit to the Giant`s Causeway. We are happy to provide early breakfast available to suit ferry times.

Gardens near Portpatrick

Portpatrick has no less than 11 gardens and nurseries within less than an hour’s drive from the village, including the famous Logan Botanic Gardens. One of the gardens – Dunskey Gardens is within walking distance (see walks section).

Six of the gardens, Logan Botanic, Logan House, Ardwell, Dunskey, Castle Kennedy and Glenwhan form the Gardens of Galloway – Scotland’s Gardens Route.

Portpatrick is an ideal central point from which to visit all six gardens with none being any more than 30 minutes by car. One – Dunskey Garden, is even within walking distance.

A passport can be downloaded from the Gardens of Galloway website which entitles visitors to 10 percent discount off the entrance fees.

Mull of Galloway

The Mull of Galloway is Scotland’s own Lands End!. However the parking is free and the roads are never congested!

Mull of Galloway – Scotland’s own Lands End

The Mull of Galloway Lighthouse is at the end of a very narrow peninsula. The drive to “the Mull” is one of the finest in the area, especially the last few miles as the views vary all the time. Interestingly, The Mull of Galloway is further south than Durham!

On 4 July 2013, the local community purchased the Mull of Galloway from the Northern Lighthouse Board as a community buy-out.

Killantringan Lighthouse

Killantringan Lighthouse was built around 1899. The name Killantringan is derived from Ringan or Ninian’s Cell.

This must be one of the few spots in Southern Scotland where both the Mull of Galloway and the Mull of Kintyre can be seen at the same time!

Killantringan Lighthouse near Portpatrick

Killantringan Lighthouse is within walking distance of the hotel along a picturesque coastal path with outstanding views. The beach to the north of the lighthouse is very beautiful and has firm level sand. The view from the car park beside the Lighthouse is often featured by ‘VisitScotland in publicity material.

Dunskey Castle

Portpatrick’s Dunskey Castle is a spectacular 16th Century ruin in a stunning cliff-top location. It is a relatively short and easy walk from Portpatrick.

Dunskey Castle near Portpatrick

The path runs above a railway cutting and carries on to the spectacular ruin of Dunskey Castle. Porpoises can sometimes be seen from the cliff top.

Portpatrick Old Parish Church

The ruins of Old Partpatrick Parish Church – a church whose history dates back to around 1628 are to be found in the centre of the village. This is probably the earliest example of a cruciform church in Galloway. The church has an interesting graveyard which includes a number of monuments referring to ships wrecked nearby.