DAY 117
TUESDAY 14 MARCH, 2017
PORT WILLIAM TO ISLE OF WHITHORN
17 MILES 7 HOURS
MORRIS, BILL AND PHIL
DISTANCE WALKED SO FAR 1527 MILES
Our accommodation for this trip was at the Monreith Arms Hotel in Port William. The rooms were en suite, clean and sizeable. In general this hotel has seen better days and the furnishings and decoration are best described as ‘tired’. However on a positive note the staff was very friendly and helpful and food in the restaurant was good and reasonably priced. Breakfasts were excellent with a good, well cooked selection. Opposite the hotel lies Maxwell Park named after the Maxwell family who in the 18th century were founders of Port William and built the harbour for the benefit of their tenant farmers. Gavin Maxwell the most famous member of the family wrote the bestselling book ‘Ring of Bright Water’ about his life with his pet otter.
It was a lovely sunny morning when we set off from the hotel walking out of town from the harbour past the bronze statue of the ‘Man looking out to sea’. We walked at the sea edge along the pebbly beach round Barsalloch Point and on to Monreith. Unfortunately the beach along this stretch is littered with all sort of rubbish, mostly plastic, and is without doubt the worst we have seen on all our coast walks. Just passed Monreith we had a short scramble over some rocks then another beach walk. After crossing a small stream which flows out to sea we made our way up a marked path to the cliff top path which we followed to the ‘Otter ‘ sculpture on the high point above St Medans golf course. We walked round the edge of the golf course passed Point of Lag to Back Bay then made our way up the hillside to the cliff tops. On the cliff tops we followed a faint track for four miles to Port of Counan where we moved inland and made our way down through some woodland to join the path from Kidsdale to St Ninians cave. After a visit to the cave we left the beach using a well worn path back to the cliff tops where we joined another track which we followed to the caravan site at Burrow Head. The path continued round the point passed Devil’s Bridge, Broom Point and on to the finish of the days walk at Isle of Whithorn.
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 dirty litter strewn beaches on most of this walk.
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- Looking across the harbour at Port William
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- Signpost on seafront at Port William
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- The statue of ‘the man looking out to sea’ at Port William
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- The Plaque by the statue
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- A Port William resident with a sense of humour.
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- The stoney beach out of Port William
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- Bill and Phil on beach near Monreith
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- Looking ahead to Monreith
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- On the beach at Monreith
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- looking ahead from Monreith Bay
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- Monreith Bay
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- Taking the path to the cliff tops in Monreith Bay
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- View back along Monrieth Bay from the cliff top path
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- The cliff top path towards Point of Lag.
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- The Otter statue on the cliff top path above Point of Lag
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- Looking over the golf course and Point of Lag
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- The golf course at Point of Lag
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- Looking back along Front Bay
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- Walking round Back Bay
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- Looking down to Point of Lag from cliff tops
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- Looking ahead along the cliff tops
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- Near port of Counan,….the rubbish on the beach can be seen in the background
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- The gulley ahead is where we join the path to St Ninians cave
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- The path in from Kidsdale to the cave.
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- Port Castle Bay where St Ninians cave can be found.
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- The information board at the cave
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- Morris at St Ninians cave.
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- Back on the cliff top path looking back to Port Castle bay.
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- Bill on the cliff top path towards Burrow Head
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- The path followed the rugged coastline
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- Looking ahead towards Burrow Head.
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- The caravan site at Burrow Head
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- WW2 relic at Burrow Head
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- The cliff top path round Burrow Head
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- First sight of Isle of Whithorn
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- Looking over to Isle of Whithorn
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- Panaramic shot of Isle of Whithorn
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- A longish walk to get here….but worth it.
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- Bill and Phil happy to be at the finish….lets get a pint.
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