Loch Ryan Coastal Path: Stranraer to Glenapp

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The Loch Ryan Coastal Path links the Mull of Galloway Trail to the Ayrshire Coast path. It is really a walk of two halves; as far as Cairnryan it provides pleasant shoreline walking with brief roadside sections, but after Cairnryan it climbs onto the moors and gives some very heavy going.

Terrain

Shoreline and roadside paths to Cairnryan. Tracks and extremely boggy moorland after Cairnryan.

Public Transport

Good services to Stranaer - both bus and rail. Local bus service runs past Glenapp (links back to Stranraer).

Start

Stranraer. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

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Currently 3.50/52

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Walk Description

Stage 1

Starting from the tourist information office in Stranraer, head east along the main road, passing the derelict ferry terminal area and then continuing along the pavement of the A77 alongside Loch Ryan. Continue along the pavement, heading out of town and past a parking layby. Eventually a footpath sign indicates where to leave the pavement and instead follow a faint path along the grassy shore. This soon passes a parking area with a snack bar; continue along the shore path from the far end of this, following either the pebbly beach or a slightly overgrown grassy path alongside.

Stage 2

Eventually the path joins a clearer one and continues to the entrance to the Ryan Bay caravan park. Here follow the cyclepath to the right (parallel to the main road). When almost opposite the main road junction with the A751 turn left (signposted) up a tarmac lane. This leads up to a white-washed farmhouse. Follow the track which bends right along the far side of this, and go through the kissing gate ahead. Keep ahead to another kissing gate, and then continue through the cow pasture, keeping a fence on your left. At the far end is another kissing gate; the old site seen down on the shore to the left was a shipyard during the Second World War.

Stage 3

Continue across rougher pastures to reach another gate and kissing gate, close by the main road. Go through this and turn left down the track (signed) which reaches the shore and then bends right along it. The route now continues along the pebble and grass shore once more. Cross a footbridge over the Beoch Burn and continue ahead. The route joins grassy tracks around Leffnol Point, where 2000 railway wagons were stored in WW2. Continue on the shorepath to reach a second footbridge, this time over the Several Burn.

Stage 4

Eventually the edge of the Cairnryan P&O ferry terminal is reached; from here the route continues along the pavement beside the main road until a waymarker indicates a path across grass with benches before it runs alongside the road to pass the houses at Cairnryan (B&B here) aiming towards the lighthouse. Just before the lighthouse the route returns to the pavement (shared with cyclists) passing the gates of Cairnryan House on the right and following signs for the Stena terminal. Just after the cemetery turn left (private road sign) next to the cottage and cross the footbridge over the Glen Burn to reach a parking and picnic area with toilet. At the far end of the car park cross the main road and head up the steep, signed, lane opposite.

Stage 5

As you climb the views open out over Loch Ryan, pass a house to reach an information board at a corner with a conifer plantation. Continue up the road and once over a cattle grid continue ahead. The track climbs across open ground and another cattle grid, continue straight ahead when the main track turns right to a house with wind turbine. Follow the grassy track past a farm building and through a gate, with gun emplacements still standing from the Second World War on the left.

Stage 6

Soon the Taxing Stane is reached. This standing stone is said to have been erected as a memorial to Alpin, King of the Scots of Daldriada who was murdered in nearby Glenapp, it also serves as a boundary marker for the old kingdoms of Galloway and Carrick. Continue through a kissing gate and across sometimes boggy ground, following the remains of an old stone wall, dipping to cross a small burn before heading left through another gate near a post marking the boundary between South Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway. From here the route follows the fence and stone wall, keeping it on your right hand side, however the ground can be extremely boggy in places and it can be necessary to detour west to avoid the worst bits. At a sheep fank a gate leads onto a newly built track, turn left to head downhill on this.

Stage 7

There are views over Finnarts Bay as the route heads inland following the track as far as a small mast where it doubles back up to the right and around one corner before turning off to the left through a waymarked kissing gate. This next section is very wet underfoot and difficult to follow - if you prefer you could continue down the track from the mast and then turn right along the A77 to reach Glenapp but this means 600m of walking on a very busy road. Otherwise, the route now follows the course of a very faint grassy track which heads up and across the grazing land aiming for the plantation ahead.

Stage 8

There are good views ahead into Glen App. After crossing a very boggy area keep straight ahead to reach a kissing gate. Here the remains of the grassy track need to be followed with care as waymarking is very limited, at first it heads diagonally downhill to the left for a short while before contouring round the hill, staying at the same level to eventually reach another kissing gate before a ravine. The path is indistinct as it heads downhill after the gate through bracken to the bottom of the ravine where there are the remains of a walkway (just some wooden posts) and a small wooden bridge. Afterwards it is a rough scramble uphill, slightly to the right, on a rough path to reach a track, turn left along this.

Stage 9

The track follows the edge of a forestry plantation, going through a couple of gates before being joined by another track from the left, continue downhill here. Soon the church and buildings at Glenapp come into view, the track however takes a longer route as it gradually descends into the glen. After turning back on itself go through a gate (with stile) and soon the route emerges on the A77. Take care as you turn right to follow the verge of this busy road for a short distance to reach Glenapp.

Linked onward route: Ayrshire Coastal Path

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Loch Ryan Coastal Path: Stranraer to Glenapp

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Terrain

Public Transport

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