Hi all
We're staying in Portpatrick for a week in early July and any recommendations for stuff to do would be most welcome.
Just the Mrs and me, There will be no bikes - but we'll be doing some decent walks and the usual sight-seeing stuff.
I see there are two whisky distilleries in the area too!
Don't want to be driving more than an hour from Portpatrick.
Never done this area - and never done Scotland! So though we'd start at the bottom and work our way around over the years.
Ta! 🙂
I really like creetown gem rock museum. It's more interesting than it sounds and has a nice cafe. Closing for good in October.
Portpatrick is lovely place.
Mull of Galloway lighthouse , which is the most southerly point in Scotland. Also has a cafe
They do tours which include going up the lighthouse.
Walk round Loch Trool, climb the Merrick (largest hill in sw Scotland), visit Kiroughtree for cafe/forest walks/hire e-bikes, visit Logan gardens. Visit the art gallery in my town (Kirkcudbright) and have a wander around.
Loads to do in this area,
The first bit of Southen Upland Way is a nice walk. A shortish loop.
Along the coast, cliffs, beaches past a Grand Designs type house and back to the harbour again with loop inland a bit.
My luck could be in here 😀
I'm looking to get/make a long bench for the garden. Its available just where you are going. But a bit far for me to go.
Green oak beam 3mx450mmx400mm
Have you a roofrack ? 😀
Bladnoch distillery is great - some really nice whisky, but IMO it's some of the pricier stuff..
Take some gravel / road bikes and explore many of the back lanes down the peninsulas.
Wigtown - if you're into books, enjoy.
Community cafe at Isle of Whithorn is superb. Great with a book on a wet day, or just for superb home made grub.
There's a good few ruined chapels / standing stones / abandoned historical / motte etc down Whithorn and round the area. We have wanded a good few fields to random historical finds.
Logan Botanic gardens are nice, Castle Kennedy I am told is nice but we've never been.
The Red Kite centre was a good afternoon out. 🦅
I'd avoid kirroughtree visitors centre and go to the glen tool one. Much better scones and a nice bimble around the area.
I'm heading down to Kirkcudbright tomorrow, also my "home town" when I was a teen I swore I'd never go back, now thinking we might do our nonUK part of retirement there or there abouts.
Scran van for a tasty snack, swally and scran for tasty sit down (both kbt)
Drive to about NW 97433 59709 (an adventure in itself) then walk north along the coast as far as you like. Then turn around and walk back.
If you're in Wigton it's worth taking a trip round the rest of the Machars peninsula..By car or on the bike . Isle of Whithorn is a particular favourite of mine, and it's not an island (anymore) Port William is nice too .
Lots to see nice coastline St Ninians Cave etc
I'm heading down to Kirkcudbright tomorrow, also my "home town" when I was a teen I swore I'd never go back, now thinking we might do our nonUK part of retirement there or there abouts.
Scran
The entire Dumfries & Galloway area is rapidly turning into a retirement village, we have the oldest population per head in Scotland.
Im in Newton Stewart.
Depends what you want to do!
Botanic gardens,light houses, neolithic history, castles.
Distillieries, breweries wildlife.
If your here on the 20th Duncfest is on.
I'm heading down to Kirkcudbright tomorrow, also my "home town" when I was a teen I swore I'd never go back, now thinking we might do our nonUK part of retirement there or there abouts.
Scran
The entire Dumfries & Galloway area is rapidly turning into a retirement village, we have the oldest population per head in Scotland.
Was always this. When I moved down in the early 80s kbt was known as the town England came to die.
I'm heading down to Kirkcudbright tomorrow, also my "home town" when I was a teen I swore I'd never go back, now thinking we might do our nonUK part of retirement there or there abouts.
Scran
The entire Dumfries & Galloway area is rapidly turning into a retirement village, we have the oldest population per head in Scotland.
Was always this. When I moved down in the early 80s kbt was known as the town England came to die.
Living outside Kbt in the 1990s we would halve the average age in the pub when we went out...
But then you did start drinking at 13.
Yep very true matt ^….. Thanks to all the old moaning ****s in the area it took decades before the tiny skatepark was finally built down the castledykes (nr swimming pool), they put in so many complaints it took years to get through the local council.
The idea for it was originally raised in the early 90’s.
But then you did start drinking at 13.
Matt was very sensible indeed but he did like to unwind at the Masonic pub , I doubt he drank much in Paddy's bar 😉 , he ran the outdoor activities for the Barcaple Christian outdoor centre just outside town
My mum always reminds me about toddling fully clothed into Portpatrick paddling pool and the speed I scrambled out 🙂
Logan fish pond.
If you are Glentrool way there is also a little community cafe at The Hive.
I'm sure LJ would be happy he was at the masonic. I worked the bar at the Gordon house. Some of the worst early shifts were opening for the fishing club after a lock in.
I'm sure LJ would be happy he was at the masonic. I worked the bar at the Gordon house. Some of the worst early shifts were opening for the fishing club after a lock in.
Did you?, I worked there from 93 to 97 and Thursday/friday/sat fights were the usual - it was all my mates that worked on the fishing boats so come Sunday afternoon/night everyone was good friends again, despite the broken noses/missing teeth/black eyes.
Simon/L-J are good mates, L-J got diagnosed with MS a few moths after I got diagnosed with SPMS so we have our bitch n' moan sessions as to how shite it is.
Is Cocoa Bean still going? Seem to recall it was connected to someone on here
Is Cocoa Bean still going? Seem to recall it was connected to someone on here
Yeah I worked there from 2008 (full time) through to when I left in 2017(part time - could only manage 2hrs/day) as a chocolatier, it's still going strong.
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I'm sure LJ would be happy he was at the masonic. I worked the bar at the Gordon house. Some of the worst early shifts were opening for the fishing club after a lock in.
Did you?, I worked there from 93 to 97 and Thursday/friday/sat fights were the usual - it was all my mates that worked on the fishing boats so come Sunday afternoon/night everyone was good friends again, despite the broken noses/missing teeth/black eyes.
Simon/L-J are good mates, L-J got diagnosed with MS a few moths after I got diagnosed with SPMS so we have our bitch n' moan sessions as to how shite it is.
I did summer there certainly early 90s but probably just before you. It was U2 one and Spin Doctors 2 princes on the jukebox pretty much on continuous repeat.
LJ was in my sister's year at school.
St Ninians cave - nice wee walk
Kirkcudbright itself is nice - Masonic Arms for Gin (impressive selection)
Isle of Whithorn Community centre - good lunch
Gatehouse of Fleet - Iron Brew Cafe
Had a lovely couple of days pottering around the area with just my dog for company a year or so back - and it's a regular destination for motorbike trips for us (via Girvan) - highly recommended
If you like whisky it's well worth calling into Whisky Broker at Creetown. They have a good selection of their own bottles for sale and have always been happy to give a tour of the site.
I presume you'll be coming along the A75 from England? If so, a really nice stop off is the Annandale Distillery in Annan. The food in the cafe is lovely there, we go at least once a month. Less than 5 mins off the A75 at the first Annan turn, it's always best to book a table in advance, just give them a ring.
Holy Coincidence Batman, I rarely visit Singletrack these days but here I am sat just outside Dalbeattie having spent a week here (and the weekend in Glasgow), visited Kirkcudbright twice, once yesterday in the rain by car, once today by bike, bought some books in.Wigtown, was wondering why there were so few Scottish accents, nice place, I could probably retire here.
Yeah I'm now ensconced near brogue.
Iron Brew in gatehouse is pretty good some really nice cakes. Good bakery in Castle Douglas (worlds crust?)
early July
my main recommendation is to come prepared for rain, lots of it!
it's a lovely area though, whatever the weather 🙂
cheers,
Keith
Good bakery in Castle Douglas (worlds crust?)
The one that does the overpriced organic and home made stuff? If so, overpriced and not particularly nice when we used it. The best bakery in CD is Picnic, just a bit further up King St. Fabulous cakes there. For bacon/sausage/brreakfast type rolls, over the road from there - Marchbanks. The butchers are all much of a muchness, but we use Ballards, no tourist tax, and friendly staff.
Yeah I'm now ensconced near brogue.
Iron Brew in gatehouse is pretty good some really nice cakes. Good bakery in Castle Douglas (worlds crust?)
The one that does the overpriced organic and home made stuff? If so, overpriced and not particularly nice when we used it
That’ll be https://the earths crust bakerrywww.earthscrustbakery.co.uk/
Was in there this afternoon as I took mum, aunt Joyce and aunt jennie (over from Nova Scotia) out a run and we stopped of in CD for the bakery and sunrise health foods before I took them to the Doach woods just outside CD, they went a walk round and I listened to Boards of Canada - Inferno on my headphones in the car.
Got nice focaccia for the next few teas and a croissant for t’morn.
I don’t consider it an overpriced bakery in the slightest (imho), Tom’s electricity costs and now grain/flour etc are ****ing horrendous and he pays his staff a decent wage, he’s covering his costs and making a wage which considering I used to buy stuff from him when he started baking in his garage in lauriston 15 years ago deserves supporting.
Very niche but www.stoneykirkaviationmuseum.co.uk was a very interesting afternoon sitting in various aircraft cockpits.
Sticking with a military theme, Garlieston was where they developed the floating mulberry harbours used for DDay. Village has a tiny museum and the remains of one of them on the other side of the bay.
For proper hills, only the Merrik and Cairnsmore of Fleet (from the south) have well defined paths. The rest generally involve wet forrest rides then steep rough ground until you hit the ridges. Very rewarding and you are unlikely to see many other people but they can be tough going.
There are also several mobile saunas (sauna by the sea?) that park up at various beachs or lochs which are lovely after a swim.
Yeah I'm now ensconced near brogue.
Iron Brew in gatehouse is pretty good some really nice cakes. Good bakery in Castle Douglas (worlds crust?)
The one that does the overpriced organic and home made stuff? If so, overpriced and not particularly nice when we used it
That’ll be https://the earths crust bakerrywww.earthscrustbakery.co.uk/
Was in there this afternoon as I took mum, aunt Joyce and aunt jennie (over from Nova Scotia) out a run and we stopped of in CD for the bakery and sunrise health foods before I took them to the Doach woods just outside CD, they went a walk round and I listened to Boards of Canada - Inferno on my headphones in the car.
Got nice focaccia for the next few teas and a croissant for t’morn.
I don’t consider it an overpriced bakery in the slightest (imho), Tom’s electricity costs and now grain/flour etc are ****ing horrendous and he pays his staff a decent wage, he’s covering his costs and making a wage which considering I used to buy stuff from him when he started baking in his garage in lauriston 15 years ago deserves supporting.
Another reminder that everything has a price, and a value. I'll make an effort to visit next time I'm over that way.
I've been a regular visitor over the last few years as a friend moved from Bristol to New Luce, and I will be up there a week on Monday dog-sitting while my friend is undergoing a major operation in Dumfries.
Love Portpatrick and the mutt will be taken on one or two coast walks there finished with a scallops and chips at the Crown. Also agree Garlieston is worth a visit -the Hive Cafe is lovely - and there are walks both ways along the coast, and as pointed out this was the site of the secret Mulberry Harbour project in preparation for the D-Day landings.
Bladenoch Distillery is worth a visit, but also suggest stopping at the Annan Distillery if you're coming on the from the East on the A75 as the cafe is lovely (I've got a bottle of one their single malts next on the list to open).
Other places I have enjoyed include the grounds of Castle Kennedy, the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse, Wigtown bookshops, forest walks from Gatehouse of Fleet and also Creetown.
Cairn Holy, chambered cairn.
Just off the main road. Lots to see.
Go around 'natural noon' and you may well meet a lovely fella called Joe who knows all about it.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/W3S1nWqx45j5Lp2g6?g_st=ac
PP is lovely.
The Hills & Harbour gin distillery near Newton Stewart. When we were in the area 7 years ago, my wife discovered this gin at the Masonic Arms in Kirkcudbright and been a fan ever since. Best had with fresh mango and some Scottish tonic I’ve forgotten the name of!
The red kites at feeding time is pretty special but can’t remember offhand exactly where it is!
Mull of Galloway lighthouse
if you look carefully - part way along the road to the lighthouse theres a blue plaque that marks a spot where, during a particularly lovely sun set I rolled up to join a group of people who'd stopped to watch in silence as a spectacular scene was unfolding. I cycled up beside them, dismounted, leaned my bike against the fence, discovered it was electrified and shouted '****ING HELL!'
