Follow the rugged coastline from Portpatrick to the sturdy lighthouse at Killantringan before heading inland to take minor roads and a short woodland path to return. It is also possible to avoid the road walking by returning along the coast path.
Waymarked coastal path, steep and narrow in places.
Bus to Portpatrick.
Portpatrick.
There is parking at both ends of the seafront in Portpatrick. This walk starts from the northern end of the harbour, near a sports pitch. Here there is an information board about the Southern Upland Way which shares its start with the first few km of this route. The long distance, coast to coast route, covers 340km (212 miles) to finish at Cockburnspath.
Follow the waymarkers to head up the steps, passing benches with good views back over Portpatrick. Keep on the seaward side of a disused building. Soon the path cimbs some steps to reach a surfaced track; turn left along this, adjacent to the golf course.
After passing a striking modern house atop the cliffs the route becmes a cliff top path with good views along the coast - Ireland can also be seen on a clear day. This section has a good selection of colourful flowers such as spring squill, yellow rattle and pink thrift in spring and summer. The path gradually descends towards the sandy inlet of Port Mora.
Keep following the waymarkers with the white thistle symbol for the Southern Upland Way and yellow arrows, as the path heads round the back of the bay and then keeps following the coastline to reach the next bay of Port Kale. Here there is a small white building, sometimes open as a ranger centre. The path to the right heads down from Dunskey Glen; instead our route crosses the bridge and continues along the pebbly shore before heading behind a large rock to climb rocky steps with a chain hand rail. A short section of path leads to a longer flight of rocky steps to reach the cliff top.
Climb the stile to cross open grazing land where dogs should be kept on leads. Killantringan Lighthouse can be seen in the distance. Keep following the grassy path, going through a gate at a stone wall and take care on the next section which can be prone to small landslips. Soon the rocky coastline is left behind at another kissing gate to follow the path inland and up onto a hillock overlooking Portamaggie and the lighthouse. The lighthouse was built in 1900, although the dangerous crosscurrents have still caused some shipwrecks including that of the Craigantlet, a container ship which ran aground in 1982 - the remains can be seen in the bay below. Follow the path to the lighthouse road and turn right.
There is a good viewpoint along the coast before the first cattlegrid. Follow the road inland until it meets a larger road - the B738 - at a T-junction. Leave the Southern Upland Way here and turn right along the B738 for 2km until eventually the signed entrance to Dunskey Gardens is reached on the right hand side, with the huge gates.
Turn onto the entrance driveway and then left onto a signed footpath. When this reaches a track turn left onto this and keep right at a fork to emerge on the road at the top end of Portpatrick. Turn right to head back down through the village to the seafront and the start.
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