Explore the Rhins of Galloway
Bring your bucket and spade …
Drummore
Drummore is a quiet village with a couple of pubs, a cafe and a well stocked village shop, Drummore Village Stores, which is right next door to King’s Hall.
If you want to stock up before you arrive, there are two supermarkets in Stranraer which is also where the nearest filling station is.
A short walk takes you to down to the harbour and beach and from there you can walk along a coastal footpath to the Clashwhannon pub which serves food and does takeaway food.
You also have the Mariner’s Coffee Shop just across the road for breakfast, lunch and teas.
It’s about 4-5 miles to the Mull of Galloway where you will find the Gallie Craig, a large cafe serving hot food, open daily during the summer season, the Mull of Galloway lighthouse and museum (closed during 2021) and an RSPB reserve.
Places to eat
Mariner’s Coffee Shop – across the road
The Ship Inn – 5 minute walk
Clashwhannon pub – 10 minute walk
Gallie Craig cafe at the Mull of Galloway – 4 miles
Potting Shed Bistro at Logan Botanic Gardens – 6 miles
The Rhins of Galloway is a hammer-head peninsula in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Stretching more than 25 miles from north to south, its southern tip is the Mull of Galloway, the southernmost point of Scotland.
Walking and Hiking
The Mull of Galloway Trail was opened in 2012 by the Rotary Club of Stranraer and runs from the Mull of Galloway to Stranraer taking in the spectacular sea views. The Mull of Galloway trail continues north and joins the Loch Ryan Coastal Path to Glenapp in south Ayrshire where it links with the Ayrshire Coastal Path.
The 212 mile Southern Upland Way coast to coast walk starts from Portpatrick.
The Great Outdoors
Dumfries and Galloway offers amazing scenery and outdoor spaces. Coastal cliffs, long sandy beaches, rolling hills and beautiful forests can all be found here.
Visit the Mull of Galloway – Scotland’s most southerly point – to climb the lighthouse, have lunch in the Gallie Craig cafe, enjoy the amazing sea views towards Ireland, England or the Isle of Man and watch the birds nesting on the cliffs that plunge down to the sea on all sides.
Sea Life
The sea is an inescapable fact of life on the Rhins of Galloway, whether looking westwards towards Ireland over the cold waters of the North Channel or looking eastwards into the safe harbour of Loch Ryan or the wide waters of Luce Bay. It goes without saying that both beach and sea fishing are popular sports and you will find several experienced skippers who offer sea fishing trips out of Portpatrick and other local harbours. Lucky Dip II and Predator II both sail from Portpatrick, Go West works out of Drummore and OnYerMarks launches from beaches on the South Rhins.
Alternatively, if you’re not interested in landing your own fish, but want to see the incredible variety of sea life to be found in local waters, the Port Logan Fish Pond is a unique sea-life centre. Created from a natural feature in the coastline on the north side of Port Logan bay, this was originally a live fish larder for the “Laird of Logan”, the Earl of Stair. Nowadays, it offers visitors the chance to get a closer look at all manner of fish and other sea creatures.
Gardens
Plants, shrubs and palm trees flourish in this part of Scotland due to our warmer climate. We have tropical gardens with palm trees and traditional gardens in the Rhins of Galloway, most notably at Logan Botanic Garden just a short drive away.
Fore!
Yet another one of Scotland’s claims to fame is as the country that gave the world golf. This is reflected in the number (and quality) of golf courses to be found throughout Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway is no exception. The Portpatrick Dunskey club offers both a challenging 18-hole and a shorter 9-hole course, while the Stranraer club’s 18-hole championship standard course looks out over Loch Ryan and Wigtownshire County golf club (usually just known as “The County”) offers players a chance to enjoy a classic 18-hole links course on the shores of Luce Bay. Just the thing for the keen golfer in the family.
Things of Beauty
This area has drawn artists and other creative souls for years and you can’t travel far without finding examples of the beautiful art and craftwork that is produced in the region.
Not far from the Mull of Galloway, you will find the felt artist Linda Irving who also runs a gallery and gift shop called The Mull of Gallery, where you can buy work from over 18 local artists and artisans.
The Gallie Craig also has an extensive gift shop and details of local fairs, festivals and events can be found on the Visit Drummore facebook group.
Look out for the many craft fairs and art open studios events in the region to find more locally produced arts, crafts and artisan food.
