Adventures Around Scotland
  • Home
    • ABOUT ADVENTURES AROUND SCOTLAND
  • SCOTLAND TRAVEL GUIDE
  • SCOTLAND TRAVEL BLOG
  • TRAVEL CONSULTATION
  • WORK WITH ME
  • EXPLORE SCOTLAND
    • ABERDEENSHIRE
    • ANGUS
    • ARGYLL
    • AYRSHIRE
    • BORDERS
    • CAITHNESS
    • CENTRAL
    • DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY
    • DUNDEE
    • EDINBURGH
    • FIFE
    • GLASGOW
    • HIGHLANDS
    • SCOTTISH ISLANDS >
      • Firth of Clyde
      • Inner Hebrides
      • Outer Hebrides
      • Orkney Islands
    • LANARKSHIRE
    • LOCH LOMOND
    • MORAY
    • PERTHSHIRE
    • SUTHERLAND
    • SCOTLAND ROAD TRIPS
  • GET IN TOUCH

A lighthouse tour of the Rhins of Galloway by bike

26/4/2022

 
This post is part of a paid partnership with Gateway to Galloway to showcase the Lighthouses of the Rhins Tour
Picture

For a long time I've tried to work out where my own fascination with lighthouses stems from and I know I'm not alone, there is even a name for lighthouse buffs (pharophiles if you're interested). Although I wouldn't claim to travel somewhere just to visit a lighthouse, if there is one in the general vicinity, I'll more than likely divert my route to see it, and then take a million photographs of it, from every angle.

For me, as a coastal lover, I think it is partly to do with reaching a place where the land meets the water and generally I find lighthouses to be eye-catching enhancements to already picturesque places. However, I'm also in awe at how these monuments mark out a battle line between man and Mother Nature, a battle to engineer a building that defies the elements and a battle to stop another life being swallowed by the gluttonous belly of the sea.

Stop 1 - Port Logan Lighthouse

Picture
These are my thoughts as I'm drawn like a moth to the stumpy grey beacon that sits at the end of the pier in Port Logan. It is not the most aesthetically pleasing lighthouse but its location guarding over the ​sweeping silvery bay and white-washed cottages of the village more than makes up for what it lacks in beauty.
Picture
The 25ft high landmark complete with bell tower dates back to 1818, and along with the pier, is the most westerly work of the famous engineer Thomas Telford.

This is the first of four lighthouses in the area that I plan to visit over the course of a day as I follow the new Lighthouses of the Rhins trail around the Galloway coast. There are six lighthouses to visit in total, and although you can drive to them, hiring an electric bike offers a more eco-friendly and in my opinion, enjoyable alternative as I discovered when I picked up my hired E-bike at my next stop in Portpatrick.

Stop 2 - Portpatrick Lighthouse

Picture
The six lighthouses on the trail are Mull of Galloway, Loch Ryan, Portpatrick, Corsewall, Port Logan and Killantringan and they are quite spread out, so tackling them all in a day by bike is a bit of a challenge.

However, a range of suggested bite-sized routes have been created which can be done separately or linked together for a longer ride. I opted to cycle from Portpatrick to Killantringan and back which is about 8 miles in total, a rewarding route for not too much effort.

I absolutely love the colourful harbourfront and turquoise waters of Portpatrick, a pretty village that sits at the start of the Southern Upland Way long distance walking trail and looks across to Northern Ireland, just a short hop across the water. However, I had never been to Killantringan before and I had been assured it was a gorgeous detour - spoiler alert - it was!
Picture
Westby's Electric Bike Hire can drop off and collect your bike in the local area for a half day or full day hire. Owner, Jack, kindly delivered my bike to the harbour at Portpatrick and after a short tutorial, I was kitted up and ready for my 2-wheeled adventure.

Within a few minutes I had left the village behind, breathing in the sea air as I trundled along past swathes of bluebells and a roadside buzzard devouring its lunch, barely blinking an eye as I quietly rolled by. A bit further along, I could hear the distinctive squawk of a pheasant and waved hello to some curious cows. This is what I really enjoy about cycling, the connection with your surroundings that is closed off to you in the bubble of a car. 

Stop 3 - Killantringan Lighthouse

Picture
On the final stretch to the lighthouse, tiny lambs bounded across my path, filled with the joys of spring, and the coconut aroma from the gorse brought to mind more tropical climes although the deserted sandy coves punctuating the coastline did give off a Mediterranean vibe each time the sun broke through the clouds.
Picture
I wish I'd known how beautiful the landscape surrounding the lighthouse was so I could have factored in more time there. On a sunny day it is the perfect picnic stop and worth lingering around the beaches and grassy cliffs to soak up the scenery. I only had time for a short walk before the pedal back to Portpatrick but I have made a mental note to return again in the future.
Picture
The undulating landscape wasn't an issue with a boost of power on the electric bike and I was wheeling my way back into the village just over an hour after I had left. I dropped of my bike and treated myself to a well earned coffee which I enjoyed on a bench overlooking the fishing boats.

Stop 4 - Loch Ryan Lighthouse

Picture
​As I left the Rhins of Galloway, I made one final lighthouse stop at Loch Ryan Lighthouse. Unfortunately the area around it is fenced off so you can't get too close but I did wander down to the rocky beach to watch the ferry depart for Belfast. It is possible to keep walking across the boulders to get closer to the lighthouse if you wish but I was happy enough to take in the surrounding vistas.

More things to do in the Rhins of Galloway

Of course, there is much more to see in the Rhins of Galloway than just lighthouses - I put together this blog from a previous visit with some of my other suggestions of things to do in the area and you can easily include some of them as you cycle around.

Although I didn't visit this time, I also highly recommend going to the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse which sits at the most southerly point of Scotland, you can find out more in this blog post.
Picture
I hope my latest Adventure Around Scotland has given you some inspiration for a future Scottish adventure

Susanne x

Never miss an update, sign up for my Free Monthly Newsletter

* indicates required

Comments are closed.

    Follow my Scotland travel adventures on social media

    Sign up for my monthly newsletter
    Picture

    If you have found my blog useful and would like to support me in creating future Scottish travel content, you can by me a coffee on my Ko-fi page.  All 'coffee' donations are hugely appreciated
    Picture

    RSS Feed


    Categories

    All
    Aberdeen
    Aberdeenshire
    Accommodation
    Angus
    Argyll
    Ayrshire
    Boat/Sailing Trips
    Borders
    Caithness
    Central Scotland
    Dog Friendly
    Dumfries & Galloway
    Dundee
    Edinburgh
    Events
    Fife
    General
    Gigha
    Glasgow
    Highlands
    Islands
    Islay
    Isle Of Bute
    Isle Of Colonsay
    Isle Of Cumbrae
    Isle Of Lewis
    Isle Of Skye
    Lanarkshire
    Loch Lomond
    Moray
    Orkney
    Outlander
    Perthshire
    Sutherland
    Tours
    Travel Tips
    Uist
    Walks
    Whisky

​SIGN UP TO RECEIVE MY MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

NEED SOME HELP PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO SCOTLAND?  BOOK A ONE-TO-ONE VIDEO CONSULTATION

​FOLLOW MY ADVENTURES AROUND SCOTLAND ON
TWITTER
FACEBOOK

​INSTAGRAM
PINTEREST
PRIVACY POLICY
Picture


​If you have found my blog helpful or inspiring, you can support me in creating future Scottish travel content for the price of a coffee at my Ko-fi page.  All 'coffee' donations are hugely appreciated and all funds will go towards covering the running costs of my website and the occasional caffeine fix!
  • Home
    • ABOUT ADVENTURES AROUND SCOTLAND
  • SCOTLAND TRAVEL GUIDE
  • SCOTLAND TRAVEL BLOG
  • TRAVEL CONSULTATION
  • WORK WITH ME
  • EXPLORE SCOTLAND
    • ABERDEENSHIRE
    • ANGUS
    • ARGYLL
    • AYRSHIRE
    • BORDERS
    • CAITHNESS
    • CENTRAL
    • DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY
    • DUNDEE
    • EDINBURGH
    • FIFE
    • GLASGOW
    • HIGHLANDS
    • SCOTTISH ISLANDS >
      • Firth of Clyde
      • Inner Hebrides
      • Outer Hebrides
      • Orkney Islands
    • LANARKSHIRE
    • LOCH LOMOND
    • MORAY
    • PERTHSHIRE
    • SUTHERLAND
    • SCOTLAND ROAD TRIPS
  • GET IN TOUCH