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Portpatrick
to
Port Logan
Leaving the pretty harbour at Portpatrick you soon climb up a steep set of steps to reach the cliff top with views across the sea to Ireland.
You remain at a high level for the rest of this section of coast until you reach your destination at the tiny village of Port Logan. The combination of atmospheric ruins of Dunskey Castle, rare remains of an ancient broch, the geological phenomenon of the Devil’s Arch and curious fishpond at Port Logan make this a walk that links the past to the present.
A climate softened by the surrounding sea means the cliffs on the western coast of the Rhins are notable for their diverse range of wild plants. Tough enough to defy the stormy seas many of these plants have surprisingly delicate looking flowers that carpet the clifftops in early summer. The Rhins is also home to Logan Botanic Garden that has a remarkable collection of unusual plants from around the world creating a tropical paradise.
In April the early flowering spring squill appears and provides a violet haze across areas of short grass. It is a plant only associated with the Atlantic coast and it is always worth taking a closer look at the tiny star-shaped flowers.
Clifftop grassland is packed with pretty flowers that have a remarkable range of colours from the bright yellows of kidney vetch to the rich magenta of bloody crane’s-bill and the soft pink of thrift to the light blue of sheep’s-bit. On warm windless days the flowers buzz with bees and butterflies skipping from flower to flower or basking on sun warmed rocks.
Butterflies skipping from flower to flower
In places the grassland is heathy in character dominated by purple heathers and patches of bright green crowberry with its plump black berries.
On the cliffs ancient slow growing junipers with their gnarled trunks grow flattened against exposed rockfaces and seem to thrive in this harsh environment. From the cliff tops you get glimpses into several sandy bays before eventually arriving at Port Logan Bay where the dunes create an entirely different habitat for coastal wildlife.
Ardwell Bay
From the car park at the end of the track to Ardwell Bay there are two circular walks that together form a figure of eight route. The first walk should NOT be attempted at high tide so make sure you know the state of the tide before you set off! Follow the Rhins of Galloway Coast path through fields along the cliff top and down on to the shore at Saltpans returning along the shingle beach to the sandy bay and the car park. The second section takes you south along the rocky shore to the site of an iron-age broch and then inland towards the farm at South Ardwell before returning along tracks to the car park.
West coast
Dunskey Castle
The ruins of Dunskey Castle are perched on the clifftop overlooking the Irish Sea. The dramatic ruins are a perfect setting for local tales of ghosts, dungeons and secret passages! There is no access to the castle but there are fabulous views of the ancient structure from the cliffs to the south.
Ardwell Broch
At the headland of Castle Point south of Ardwell Bay there are the remains of an ancient fort known as Doon Castle. It is a rare example of a circular structure with passageways within the thick walls and was probably inhabited 2,000 years ago – similar to the brochs still standing in the north of Scotland.
Devil’s Arch
The Devil’s Bridge is found north of Port Logan where a large arch springs out of the high cliff and plunges to the sea below. It was presumably christened Devil’s Bridge because it was thought that such a structure could only be formed by unnatural forces. Arches, large or small, are created by the abrasive action of water and stones grinding away soft rocks from below harder strata.
Fish larder
Logan Fish Pond is a natural tidal pool adapted to store live fish for use by the local laird at Logan Estate. Fish still live in the pond today and you can visit it to discover more about local sea life.
Port Logan
The village of Port Logan with its
distinctive harbour wall and bell tower
Port Logan
Your destination for this section is the village of Port Logan with its distinctive harbour wall and bell tower located at the southern end of a sandy bay.
Once known as Port Nessock this tiny village was renamed Port Logan after Colonel Andrew McDowall of Logan Estate constructed the stone pier in the early 1800s. The name change has stuck although the option of Port Nessock or Port Logan Bay has been retained on modern Ordnance Survey maps.
| Start | Portpatrick |
|---|---|
| Finish | Port Logan |
| Distance | 25 kms / 15.5 miles |
| Height Range | 0 – 75m |
| Total Ascent | about 380m |
| Information | Information boards can be found at the shelter at the north end of Portpatrick Harbour, on the cliffs to the south of Portpatrick, Dunskey Castle, Ardwell Bay and at the beach car park at Port Logan. |
| Supplies | A modest selection of shops in Portpatrick, none on route. |
| Public Transport | Regular buses from Stranraer to Portpatrick. Stranraer to Drummore via Port Logan; see TravelineScotland.com for more details. |
