Walking Scotlands Coast

DAY 116   

MONDAY 13 MARCH, 2017

GLENLUCE TO PORT WILLIAM

15 MILES 6 HOURS   

MORRIS, BILL AND PHIL 

DISTANCE WALKED SO FAR 1510 MILES

Over the ten years we have been walking the coast our annual plan seems to have fallen into a pattern of a two or three day walk in Spring and Autumn and a week’s walk in May. This year looks to be no different with a week’s walking already planned for May. As the plan for the May walk is to start from Glenapp, where our last day’s walking ended and walk round the Galloway peninsula (known as the Rhins) finishing in Glenluce, we decided to jump ahead for this trip and start at Glenluce. Three days walking was planned for this trip with accommodation booked at the Monreith Arms Hotel in Port William. We hoped to be able to utilise the local bus service at the end of each days walk.

As usual it was an early start for the drive west to Glenluce following the Sat.Nav. route via the A702 for the bulk of the way. This proved a bad decision as the road was horrendous and very narrow and winding at bits with slow moving H.G.V.’s almost impossible to pass. The 118 mile journey took over three hours.

On arrival at Glenluce we had a quick snack and set off walking in sunshine out of town towards Bankfield then used the A75 underpass onto the minor road towards the sea and Stairhaven. At Stairhaven we took the signposted path up the hillside onto the cliff tops and followed an excellent grassy path to the Mull of Sinniness where we dropped back down to the beach and the sea edge. For the next two miles we were able to walk on the beach before being forced onto the road for a short distance passed some sea cliffs. We again joined the beach at Garheugh Port and walked on to the ruins at St. Finian’s chapel where we stopped for a lunch break. Continuing at the sea edge we walked passed the caravan site at Barr Point and got our first site of Port William some three miles ahead. The walk into Port William was a mixture of sea edge and road walking. Our local bus plans came unstuck when we found there was no bus back to Glenluce although the timetable printed from the internet showed there was. However, Frank, a local taxi came to the rescue and we collected the car from Glenluce.

Summary; A really nice walk. Some parts were easy; some of the sea edge pebbly beaches were difficult.

Highs; Great weather again. Obvious paths most of the way. Some great views.

Lows; The drive through was awful and some unavoidable road walking.

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DAY 116 ROUTE MAP