Walk 145

Portpatrick to Stranraer 20miles

I decided to take the cliff top route as I had been into town last night and I'd seen all there was to see in Portpatrick.

Stanraer Lighhouse

 The day was warm and sunny as I made my way along the Upland Way path, this route along the coast only lasts a couple of miles but is very up and down ending at the Killantringan Lighthouse, which is the best one I have seen in all my walks so far.  Just after the lighthouse there is a lovely beach and I noticed on the map that there was a track at the end that I could get up to the road from, so as the tide was out I decided to go for it! The route up from the beach took me past a large imposing house right through their front garden!! just as I reached the house I bumped into the owner and I thought uh oh this could be bad! So I put on my nicest face and asked kindly if it was OK to walk along this path, the owner was polite and proceeded to tell me that they are in dispute with the local authority about the access issues, I nodded sympathetically and agreed with everything they said and finally I managed to get away. However I walked around to the fence by the road and hey presto there in front of me was a kissing gate with a BIG padlock attached, and next to it was a style!!!! I couldn't quite believe it, that is why people think its a right of way..... because it is you Dipshit!!!

NI in the distance!

The next few miles took me along narrow winding country lanes with very little traffic and eventually I arrived in Kirkcolm on the banks of Loch Ryan. I stopped for lunch at the local pub and got chatting with the owner who was from Lancashire.  Once I'd had lunch I was on my way traversing the left bank of Loch Ryan, the traffic gradually increased until it was dive in the hedge time again!!