The dawn chorus wakes me around 4am. I have the luxury of a light pack today as I’m camping here for two nights.
The Loch Ryan Coastal Path is easy to follow to the new ferry port at Cairnryan. Stranraer was a key port for ferries to Northern Ireland for 150 years. This changed in 2011 when the demand for bigger ships meant that the shallow channel to the town was no longer viable. Local businesses have clearly suffered with the loss of the through traffic.
A flash of red catches my eye — a cinnabar moth.
Loch Ryan hosted the WWII “No. 2 Military Port”, as contingency in case the Mersey and Clyde ports became unusable. Two men are fishing from the remaining crumbling pier, but it’s fenced off, so I can’t get through to take pictures.
After a steep climb up Little Laight Hill, I get a chance to explore an anti-aircraft gun battery with commanding views over the loch entrance.
The path becomes a lot more challenging, disappearing into bogs and grassy fells. A walker coming in the opposite direction tells me there is no way through, but his English accent, lack of a map, and request to know the time, suggest that I should take his advice with a pinch of salt.
A sign at Galloway Burn announces the crossing over into South Ayrshire. Farewell Dumfries and Galloway — a beautiful region.
After descending a rough road, a notice warns not to follow the trail marked on the OS map, being too hazardous, and to follow the diversion signs back up the hill and across some fields. What is the hazard? I’m tempted to ignore the sign and test the route but relent. The diversion is tough, through long grass and more bogs, before vanishing completely.
I give up trying to find a path and head for a stone wall in front of a forest, before following it along to the left, reaching a gully that seems impassable. Scanning round, a lone post rises out of the ferns. Concealed steps lead down to the burn and then up to another forest road. That was fun.
There are lovely views down to the church in Glen App, with colourful rhododendrons across the far hillside. They originally spelled “Elsie” for Elsie Mackay, a British actress, jockey, and pioneering aviator, who died attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 1928. Her father owned the Glenapp estate.
At the bottom of the glen I arrive at the start of the Ayrshire Coastal Path, which runs for 107 miles from Glenapp to Skelmorlie, with panoramic views to Arran and other islands.
A pretty woodland climb winds up to the top of Sandloch Hill, where I get my first stunning view of Ailsa Craig, formed of dense granite leftover from a long-extinct volcano. It rises like a giant prehistoric fin breaking the water.
A long gravel road leads round the hillside, giving fine views across the sea, before reaching a junction in the path — decision time.
Of course I have to accept the challenge. It’s a good choice, with beautiful scenery instead of another five miles of road walking.
The shingle beach at Currarie Port is deserted.
The sign was right in that this is a strenuous option, with several miles on the clifftop wading through long grass. However, there are few cows and you certainly don’t need much in the way of map reading skills. It’s worth it for the gorgeous views, especially approaching Ballantrae. I lose my way a little at the end, but end up at the right place to rejoin the road into the village.
I suspect I’ll be taking a lot of photos of Ailsa Craig as it dominates the horizon, offering different views as I push north. These are the times when I wish I had a proper camera as I’m not keen on a digital zoom.
There’s an hour before my bus back to Stranraer, so I nip into the local pub. I’m the only customer. Two policeman arrive and chat to the barmaid briefly before leaving. She tells me she refused to serve a drunk last night, so he went to her house and kicked the door in, threatening her partner and children. This is one reason why I never camp near urban areas. It’s much safer in the wild.
Walk distance: 21 miles.
Total distance: 1,925 miles.
Hi Tony, I spent a good 40 minutes bashing through almost impenetrable vegetation getting down to Glen App. A wind farm construction diversion did not help. Ailsa Craig will be with you for awhile. With a group of Scottish hills friends we chartered a boat out from Girvan to the Ailsa Craig some years ago. You’ll probably know it is the primary source for the granite needed for curling stones.
I still can’t find out the reason for the diversion. Presumably it was originally construction traffic, but that must have ceased now? I spoke to a couple of locals the next day and they were surprised to hear of the diversion.
How wonderful to visit Ailsa Craig….so many things you can do and so little time. I did not know about the curling stones. 🙂
I remember struggling to find a way across a gully, probably the same one. You’ll love the Ayrshire Coast Path, a wonderful area, which is underrated and seems virtually unknown. Ailsa Craig really draws your eye, doesn’t it, and I bet will feature in nearly every photo you take from now on 😁
I noticed it featured heavily in your blog, which I can fully understand. It’s a gorgeous path with all those views of Arran, the Mull of Kintyre, and Ailsa. 🙂
I was about to inform you about the curling stones but see I have been beaten to it! Ailsa Craig is lovely in all lights – I’ve never been out to it though. One for the to-do list.