Day 10: Newton Stewart to Port Logan, Dumfries & Galloway

Virtual Walk: Scotland 2021

14th January 2021: 111.73km walked today taking the total to 1030.17km/8854km. 6% of 272 people's totals submitting 1862.12km.

Route1B: Traquair to Stranraer

We follow our route north-west for a further 10 kilometres to Newton Stewart, known as the ‘Gateway to the Galloway Hills’. It sits on the River Cree and is where their Football Club get their nickname ‘Creesiders’. Founded by William Stewart in the 17th century, the ‘new town of Stewart’ was given burgh status by King Charles II. ‘The Wicker Man’ (1972) was filmed here. As Newton Stewart lies on the edge of the Galloway Forest Park, outdoor activities are plentiful; the area is referred to as the ‘the Highlands of the Lowlands’. The Park is thought to be the largest forest in the UK, established in 1947, covering 774 square kilometres and managed by Forest and Land Scotland. It is also a Dark Sky Park, Scotland’s first to control light pollution and one of the best places to stargaze in Europe.

12 kilometres northwest of Newton Stewart we pick up the Southern Uplands Way again, and head over the hills to Laggangairn Standing Stones, 2 stones survivors of a once 14-strong stone circle dating back 4,000 years on desolate moorland. The remaining stones are carved with early Christian crosses.

We press on through forests, moorland and hamlets to reach the Waters of Luce. A ‘fly-fishing only’ river where you can enjoy a spot of salmon and sea trout fishing after heavy rains. We will return to this point but, for now, join the Whithorn Way to detour south to see Glenluce Abbey; the abbey was founded in 1190, falling into disuse after the Scottish Reformation of 1560. The Whithorn Way runs from Glasgow Cathedral down to Whithorn; 239 kilometres which follow past pilgrimage routes.

Following our visit, we retrace our steps to cross the Waters of Luce, continuing west for 9.5 kilometres, through forest, moor and farmland to reach Castle Kennedy. The village is centred around a 17th-century castle of the same name, although a ruin today, which is set in beautiful 75-acre gardens surrounded by the White and Black Lochs. The castle burned down in 1716 and was never rebuilt; Lochinch Castle was constructed on its estate in the 1860s. The gardens around the ruin have continued to be maintained and improved by the owner, Earl of Stair, ever since. It is described as ‘one of the showpieces of Galloway’ and is listed in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes of Scotland.

Continuing along the Southern Uplands Way through fields and forests, skirting Stranraer for now, we head across the hills to the North Channel coast at Killantringan Bay, where we also join the Portpatrick Cliff Walk. Passing Killantringan Lighthouse, established in 1900, we follow the coast to Portpatrick, passing Laird’s Bay, Port Mora and Maidenhead Bay, as well as stunning views of the coastal cliffs and the Northern Irish coast en route.

Portpatrick is a picturesque fishing village on the Irish Sea, popular with tourists today for sightseeing, boat trips as well as fishing cruises. On a clear night, you can see the Irish lights twinkling. The village dates back 500 years and by the 1700s was already an important port giving a short crossing to Ireland. It became the place to ship livestock from Ireland and sailings were frequent. In 1862, the railways linked the village to Dumfries and Stranraer. However, with the arrival of larger ships, Portpatrick’s prevailing westerly wind was an issue, so Stranraer increasingly took over as the main port. The railway line was removed by 1875 but by that time Portpatrick was establishing itself as a seaside resort and remains so. The starter marker for the 344-kilometre Southern Upland Way is found at the north end of the inner harbour, which we have done in parts, in reverse!

We continue carefully along the coastal path to the romantic Dunskey Castle, location for the 1951 film of Robert Louis Stevenson's ‘Kidnapped’ among other productions. It is perched on a rocky outcrop and what you see was built mid-16th century for the Adairs of Kinhilt, although the site has been used since the Iron Age. It was derelict by 1700 and is said to be haunted by a few ghosts: a nurse maid, a piper and a jester to name a few!

The Gulf Stream, which prevails along Scotland’s west coast, gives the area a pleasant climate and this is evident at our next visit! Our route takes us onto the Mull or Rhins of Galloway (a Peninsula) and nearly 20 kilometres south to Logan Botanic Gardens. The gardens are in the grounds of Logan House, where Balzieland Castle once stood, associated with the McDouall family for over 700 years. The castle burned down in c1500 and nothing is known of its history as a result. Only a fragment remains next to the house, and the gardens and parkland are now managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh. It is Scotland's most exotic garden, where subtropical plants thrive from the warmth delivered by the Gulf Stream; another garden listed in the ‘Inventory’. They participate in the Silent Space Project here; an area of the garden temporarily reserved for silent visiting a few hours per week. You switch off from the world and walk or sit in silence, to take in the beauty that surrounds you. From here we make our way down to the tip of the peninsula, the most southerly point in Scotland.

After leaving Logan Botanic Gardens we walk towards Port Logan but, as we arrive at the coast, we turn right to follow a track along the coast to firstly visit Logan Fish Pond and Marine Life Centre. We enter the centre through a white cottage featuring turrets and arrow slits, then descend steps to reach the 15-metre pool. This pool dates to 1788, when Colonel Andrew McDouall of Logan commissioned work to create a fish pond to act as a larder. It was constructed by expanding a natural blow hole in the rock which then stored a range of fish caught at sea to ensure freshness. The water changed naturally at each high tide whilst the fish were unable to escape due to a grille. The Logan Fish Pond is now a unique setting in which to see a wide variety of local sea life.

Leaving the pond, we walk into Port Logan itself dating to the 17th century when the local laird built a pier and cottages. There was possibly a settlement here prior to this as the village was called Port Nessock which means ‘Bay of the Nose’ in Norse. Improvements to the village were started in 1818 by Colonel Andrew McDouall of Logan, who renamed the village Port Logan, and built a new quay and a bell tower. This distinctive tower, designed by Thomas Telford, was built from granite and sandstone and was used to guide boats into the harbour. A causeway was built in front of the existing row of cottages; it was thought that their residents would move to houses on higher ground. However, most refused to leave as the causeway gave them shelter and protection from the wind; some built a second storey so they could still have a view of the sea. As the harbour in Portpatrick was improved, Port Logan harbour was used less, and it is now an unspoilt and peaceful place. It may be recognised as the place where the TV series ‘Two Thousand Acres of Sky’ was filmed (2001-2003). As we walk through the village, we can see the cottages below the level of the road on our left, while the beach and harbour with its bell tower are on our right.