For once the tide was in our favour and the plan was to try and keep to the shore, or as close to it as we could, for most of the day. There is no formal footpath for much of the walk as a whole, but on leaving Portpatrick you are walking on the Southern Upland Way (SUW) until you reach the lighthouse at Black Rock. The SUW is a 214-mile route from Portpatrick to Cockburnspath on the east coast. Onward from the lighthouse it is down to your own endeavour, albeit there are notice boards with maps for the Rhins of Galloway Coastal Path. It is a work in progress.
We knew there were sections where the water was never too far away from the rock face and we just hoped that we could either scramble round or over the rocks, alternatively, just move on to the low cliff to go up and over, before returning to the shore. The weather was fine and the distance manageable. Rather than wild camp, we had opted for a bit of luxury with a stay in the Corsewell Lighthouse Hotel.
At the back of Port Kale, just where the path over the neck of the headland brings you out, there are two old hexagonal-shaped buildings, known as the cable houses. Built in 1852, they housed the testing apparatus for an electric cable laid between Scotland and Ireland. The cables were superseded by other, later developments and eventually lifted in 1983. The buildings are now part of the Dunskey Estate.
With a few clouds in the sky there were interesting light effects over the waters leading back to the East Cliff on the other side of Portpatrick. At this stage of the walk we were still following the SUW, walking on a fairly clear, good, grassy path. We stayed high from Catebraid before starting to drop down again at Portavaddie, starting the lower approaches to Portamaggie and the Killantringan Lighthouse.
Portamaggie is a nice little bay with a beach grounding of mixed sand and gravel. There is more of the sand to be had when the tide is out. Just off the shoreline you can see the remains of the a small ship (MV Craigantlet), that ran aground in the bay in 1982. The Killantringan Lighthouse, with its distinctive black top and white bottom, sits on a headland just above Portamaggie. Commissioned in 1897, it was designed by David Alan Stevenson. The light was automated in 1988 and the lighthouse itself considered surplus to requirements in 2005. The lighthouse and the surrounding buildings are now owned privately.
After tiffin, we moved on to cross the rocks on to the short stretch between Cranberry Point and Salt Pans Bay. Movement caught our eye in the shrubbery on the hillside and we were dismayed to see a small deer hind that had lost its sight to some eye disease. At first it blundered about in the undergrowth but eventually it found a way out and over the clifftop.
On the north side of the beach, just below the path that takes you up the hill, there are also the scant remains of a prehistoric promontory fort known as Fort Point. At the back of the fort was a path of sorts going up the hillside and once on the low cliff we were soon following the fence line at Drumawhern, on Galdenoch Moor.
The walking on the moor was slightly tricky with a lot of stones around on the path but still a joy to walk. The route eventually drops down slightly to go along the back of Port Beg and Slouchnawen Bay, both little rocky enclaves with the water close to high tide. There are a number of nice rock features on this section and some good examples of folded rock on the small headlands, as well as fractured rock faces.
As well as the usual troublemakers of nettle, thistles, brambles, and thick, thick fern, there was a nice smattering of colour about from the last of the summer flowers. Green vegetation was just starting to go over and there was a nice colour palette of reds, browns and gold. Perhaps surprisingly, on this section there was little bird life to be seen. Where we previously we would have thrilled to flocks of various seabirds, there was very little to write home about.
One point of interest as you progress along this section is the sign posts for the Rhins of Galloway Coast Path. After the SUW leaves off at Black Rock, we saw little of any kind of formal route, only the occasional bit of informal, grassy path. At least the occasional map on the route helped you locate yourself more accurately on your own map.
Crossing over one section of bog we were delighted to see a large dog or boar otter come out of the sea and make its way over the beach towards us. It slipped in and out of different little rock pools, seemingly completely unaware of our presence. We expected it to disappear, sharpish, when it did see us, but to the contrary in made a beeline for Joanna, coming right up to her foot and sniffing her boot. Then it ran away, rapidly crossing the back of the shore to disappear in to the heavy undergrowth. Of course, we were so captivated by the otter, or maybe that should be shocked, we never thought to get out the camera.
So it was with Corsewell Lighthouse which we could see from some distance away but which, for however long we walked, never seemed to be any closer. Until, of course, when it was and suddenly you realise the walk is finished.
Our day ended just as the gloaming set in and we avoided having to blunder about in the dying light. This a wonderful walk and at roughly fifteen miles, not too arduous over the piece. If the tide is right you can walk a substantial part of it (the majority) on the shore or just to the back of the high water mark. There are rocky sections and the occasional scramble over the rocks to avoid wet feet, but what a joy it is. Highly recommended.