The Southern Upland Way: Scotland's Coast to Coast

Day one: Portpatrick to Castle Kennedy

Saturday 31st March
Portpatrick to Castle Kennedy


Our tent at the tree lined Aird Donald caravan park	The Stranraer pier, on which the train terminates and a ferry to Ireland disembarks

Taking the last train possible in order to give us enough time to pack, we arrived late in Stranraer at 10:20pm. A black expanse stretched out to our right, which we identified as the sea, on approaching the station far out on the pier. A cool, calm night greeted us, as we headed towards Stranraer and past the ferry, soon to set off to Ireland.

We stayed the night in Aird Donald Caravan site who were kind enough to let us camp – they don’t usually accept tents until later in the year because the ground is too wet, but they took pity on us when they realised that we didn’t have a car and therefore couldn’t drive to the other campsite in the area. It was a beautiful campsite, and Alan enjoyed an hour outside the tent taking photos of the area bathed in moonlight before we settled down for our first night. It was a chilly night, and we found that our sleep was broken due to the cold. We make a note to zip our sleeping bags together in future for the extra heat. We wake up to find ourselves in a beautiful tree-lined field. Showers were available for 50p, but having showered before leaving we did not try them out.

Despite good intentions we did not get up at 7am as planned, but got up at 9:30 thereby getting a later bus than planned for Portpatrick. We fill up our new hosepipe water bottles and pay before leaving, heading back to the pier were the train came in last night, and on into Stranraer town centre. We just caught the 11:05 bus, from the coast road opposite the pier. The bus takes us through lovely countryside along the edge of the Rhins heading north, before crossing over to Portpatrick on the West coast. It was and interesting bus journey on narrow windy roads complete with passing places, and the bus stopped at single houses on route. Everyone on the bus seemed to know everyone else, and asked if we were walking the SUW.

The Rhins – What used to be an island a long time ago is now connected to the mainland via a narrow low strip of land. On a map this area can be described as looking like a hammerhead shark. If the sea level were to rise this area could become an island once again. Stranraer lies in the gap between the Rhins and the mainland, next to a thin strip of sea, and therefore provides an ideal sheltered place for a port, and the ferry to Ireland.


Looking out to sea from Portpatrick harbour. The old lighthouse is visible on the left	Portpatrick harbour - the information shelter by the car park marks the start of the Southern Upland Way. Black Guillemot birds make their nests in holes in the harbour wall.

Portpatrick used to be the main sea port for the crossing over to Ireland, as it is the second closest place to Ireland on the mainland, the closest being the remote Mull of Kintyre. We get off the bus at the harbour, with has nicely painted houses lining it, and black Guillemot birds nesting in the walls. We find the birds to be relatively tame, so Alan creeps up to one to take a photo. At the head of the harbour we see the old Portpatrick lighthouse. We work our way round to the North side of the harbour, where the Southern Upland Way (SUW) starts. It is marked by an information shelter which tells you about Portpatrick, the local shipwrecks you can see and a bit about the wildlife in the area. Some public toilets are also by the start of the way providing a comfortable start to the coast to coast walk. We turn to the path up the cliffside, with its Juniper bushes.


A Black Guillemot, ready to flee if we pose any threat.	The car park where the SUW begins gives a good view of Portpatrick.


A stone slab on the path tells us that we still have 212 miles to go!	Now high above Portpatrick we start to leave it behind.

Across the car park and its straight up the Cliffside by steps, which have inscriptions on them telling the story of the history of the earth and the mass extinctions. On reaching the top of the cliff we are greeted by a slab of stone in the path which has on it “Cockburnspath 212” and “Portpatrick” upside-down for those walking in the other direction. On the Cliffside path we pass a few buildings including the hotel, and a BT telecommunication site, before moving further round the coast past a golf course. Our views are obscured slightly by the summer haze, which is a shame, because on a clear day you are supposed to be able to see right across to Ireland. We pass a few day walkers and dog walkers on this stretch, before climbing down steeply to a couple of coves. The first cove, Port Moria or Sandeel bay as its known locally, has a stony beach littered with large quantities of brightly coloured plastic pieces, including bottle tops. We climb steeply out of the littered cove over the dividing land by a narrow path jammed between a steep slope to our right and a drop-off to our left and down to the second cove, Port kale.


A viewpoint out over the two coves. The nearest one is Port Moria and is hidden off to the left, the other one is plainly visible and is Port Kale.	A steep windy path leads off the littered cove of Port Moria


We follow the scary path away from Sandeel bay with a steep drop-off to our left	Looking back to Dunskey glen behind the two coves.

The beach has a couple of young boys playing on it throwing stones out to sea, and a grey and white building which according to our guidebook is the landfall for a submarine telephone cable across to Ireland. Inland of the coves is the lovely old wooded valley of Dunskey glen, while looking out to sea is the blue-green lagoon-like waters of Port Kale. On reaching the other side of the cove, we look at the steep cliff ahead and wonder how we are supposed to climb it. We find our answer soon enough – some very steep steps with a chain railing to hold onto lead up a narrow break in the cliffs, with sharp drop-offs to the left in places. This path is not afraid to live dangerously! We stop at the top of the cliffs above Dunskey Glen for a spot of lunch. Jo sits and cooks some pasta, while Alan goes down to the rocky cliffs to take some photos. It’s a very hot, sunny day, but a bit hazy for good views. Check out the view from the cliffs!


At a high point in the path we spot Killantringan Lighthouse, where the Southern Upland Way turns inland thereby starting its coast to coast.	Killantringan lighthouse, where we leave the coast and all its coves and cliffs.

After lunch we continue along the coastal path through sheep pasture. On a muddy section of path Alan slips and falls on his bum, getting his bag all muddy in the process! We can see the sea right out to the horizon. This beginning to a national trail is the best and most beautiful we’ve seen. Its wonderful with the narrow path winding along the cliff edges.

Over a bump and we catch our first views of Killantringan lighthouse, a lovely wee thing, painted white and yellow with buildings around it. The buildings are now private homes, but the lighthouse is still operational and in use. Up and down the spurs of the very attractive coast, we comment to each other on how our new water carriers with straws are a big improvement – its refreshing and we don’t have to stop every 15 minutes for a drink and have to haul heavy water bladders out our rucksacks. At Killantringan lighthouse we are going to head inland, which is quite a disappointment, but it makes us realize that we would like to do a coastal trail at some point. The next part of the trail is going to be on road, and we’re not very enthusiastic about that, but we are hopeful that some other parts of the SUW trail are going to be as beautiful as this. The lighthouse sits above another lagoon like cove, and we reflect that it would be nice to take a swim, but our laziness in getting up this morning has put a certain amount of time pressure on us.


The way follows minor roads lined with gorse bushes for a few miles, through farmland, before getting interesting again.	The summit of Mulloch hill (or bump, but our first marked summit) offers hazy views.

We head uphill and inland on road from the lighthouse, over a cattle grid and into the immediate stench of manure. Up through Killantringan farm, and its very bland, rolling, quite ugly farmland with pylons – nothing special. Alan talks about what makes a good photo – does he really think that’s a good photo or is he just enjoying playing with his camera? We are testing some long johns on this trip, but with the weather being more like summer than early spring they really do just get too hot. The road is very quiet, with only the occasional farm vehicle.

We turn off the road! Its onto a fence lined track that’s signed for High Auchenree. We find that we have a habit of bringing the sun, but the midges which are usually inevitable, seem to be absent. It must be true that the midges are very mild in spring, and we wonder why we don’t walk at this time more often.

We come across a leaflet box with leaflets on SUW accommodation, wildlife and Waymerks. This is a sophistication unseen on any other Scottish national trail. We hear that this trail is the most unpopular of the Scottish National trails and that there is an ongoing effort to increase the interest of it. What we’ve seen so far – at least the coastal section – is the best that we’ve seen on any of the walks!


The path crosses moorland by the electric blue Knockquhassen reservoir	The word ULTREIA on a waymark indicates that a hidden kist is nearby - better start being more observant!

We reach the top of the small hump known as Mulloch hill. There’s a viewpoint cairn on the top, and on a clear day you are supposed to be able to see Ireland, Ailsa craig and the Galloway hills. It’s a sunny day, but there’s to much summer haze to see very far. There are some quite expansive views over to the sea from this hill.

We find our first waymerk! A number of hidden kists or chests have been placed in the various sections of the Southern Upland Way. If you find one you can take from it a specially made coin called a waymerk, which shows on it something related to the area you are in. The waymerks leaflet tells you roughly on which section of the walk each kist can be found, and who made the kist. They have also left clues – the word “ULTREIA” tells you a kist is nearby, but the clues and the kists are not always obvious. This first kist was made by a poet, and has a poem on it which talks about the waymerks. We choose not to show any photos of the kists on this site as the original idea for them is that you have to walk and be observant to find the art. This first waymerk depicts a bronze-age axe, the image inspired from one found in the area.

Once off Mulloch hill, with its farmland, the path takes us through a pleasant moor, with good rambling, and an electric blue reservoir on the left. There is frequent waymarks on the SUW, and although they are rather old, they mark the route very well. Alan stops for his first outdoor toileting experience of the walk, and we reflect that we really need to invest in a ceramic trowel.


Our view back to Stranraer where we stayed the night last night. You can get the idea of its horse-shoe shaped bay.	A track leads us through mixed woodland in the evening sun.

We can see the water inlet that comes in from the top of the Rhins, at the end of which will be Stranraer. We follow the roads round and above Stranraer, with views to its great crescent bay. The Stranraer circumnavigation is on farm road. Its smelly, and ugly, long and boring. We feel that a better route through Stranraer could have been done. We run out of water, and looking at our map realise that the next river we are going to cross is called Black Stank. Doesn’t sound suitable for drinking even with sterilisation tablets. Yellow gorse bushes have a habit of obscuring our views back to Stranraer, and Alan struggles to get a photo of the place. The way gets worse before it gets better by following a section of road parallel to the A716, which is noisy and ugly as well as boring. We find that water is a bit of a scarcity up on the Rhins, so would advise you fill up well in Portpatrick. We decide that the Black stank water is rather aptly named and therefore don’t sample the water from it. With 3 miles to go we head to Castle Kennedy in the sunset.


A stand of trees make a nice photo on this rather dull road section.	Looking across the White Loch at Castle Kennedy to Lochinch castle.

Well finally we leave the farmland, and the roads behind. The SUW takes us into a forest on an old muddy track through deciduous trees. The woods are beautiful with the orange glow of the sun dappling the forest floor, and the many species of birds singing. The daffodils are coming up as well. The beauty of the woods is shortlived, and we soon find ourselves back on road again, this time beside a railway line. We are relived to find its only a short section of road before we head through the woods on a gorse lined path, though still next to the railway. Soon we find ourselves amongst the modern build houses of Castle Kennedy, glowing light pink in the sunset. We pass through the town and head towards the white loch beside Castle Kennedy which is a lovely place. Leaving the SUW, we meander through the woods by the Loch shore searching for a suitable place to camp.


The white loch with the evening sun making it almost look like Autumn rather than spring.	We camp hidden in the trees near the white loch.

The usual sore feet, hips and shoulders hits us in the evening. We leave our tent and head to a nearby garage on the outskirts of Castle Kennedy to get some water. The filling station has an outdoor tap with drinking water, along with a spar shop, where we buy some snack food for the evening. The toilets are most welcome. The shop also sells things like cheesy pasta, so may be suitable for stocking up on camping food, however being a filling station it is kind of pricey. We feel hearty and healthy and vital - being outside with still 17 days of hiking to go is so ace.

The SUW definitely has its crap parts, like today going through smelly unattractive farmland on narrow hard surfaced roads. It does however have really good sections, like today on the coast which was wonderful, despite some litter on one of the coves. There was also the moorland which was picturesque and fun to ramble over. Overall its been an OK day and we’ve walked 14 miles!

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The Southern Upland Way: Scotland's Coast to Coast

Day one: Portpatrick to Castle Kennedy

Saturday 31st March Portpatrick to Castle Kennedy

Saturday 31st March
Portpatrick to Castle Kennedy