Killantringan Bay – Sand, Rock Pools and a Lighthouse
A few hours.
The route
On the wild west shore of the Rhins, a few miles north of Portpatrick, the white tower of Killantringan Lighthouse stands on its headland above a long, empty curve of sand.
It's a place for a blustery walk on firm sand, rock pools at the rocky end and the surf rolling in, with lunch afterwards on the harbour front in Portpatrick. A lovely few hours for beach walkers, dogs and children who like a rock pool.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The day
Killantringan
A long walk on firm sand below the lighthouse, rock pools at the bay's rocky end, then lunch looking out over Portpatrick harbour.
About three hours
Killantringan Lighthouse and Bay
A shop
Killantringan Lighthouse is signed off the B738 north-west of Portpatrick, down a single-track road to a small free parking area on the cliffs at the south end of the bay, a couple of minutes' walk from the lighthouse. The white tower was designed by David Alan Stevenson and first lit in 1900. It was switched off in 2005 and is now a private house, so admire it from outside. Below it, Killantringan Bay is a long curve of firm, level sand that runs on to Knock Bay, and it's at its widest when the tide is out, so check the tide times for Portpatrick. At the rocky southern end there are rock pools to explore, and at lower tides you can make out the remains of a container ship that ran aground below the lighthouse in a storm. Sheep graze the clifftops, so keep a dog on a lead up there. The waves come in hard on this coast: keep children back from the surf and the cliff edges, and go in daylight. The nearest public toilets are in Portpatrick.
8 min by car
Harbour House Hotel
Lunch
It's 8 minutes' drive back to Portpatrick, where there's free parking round the harbour. Lunch is at the Harbour House Hotel, the long white building on the harbour front, which serves food every day from 10am to 9pm in its sea-facing conservatory, bar, lounge and terrace. Fresh local seafood is the thing to have, and there's a vegan menu too. Dogs are welcome in the bar and lounge, which suits a sandy one. If it's full, the Port Pantry a few doors along does lunches and cakes and usually opens until 4pm; ring 01776 810655 to check.
If it rains
In heavy rain or a gale the bay is no place to be; drive straight to Portpatrick for a long lunch in the Harbour House's conservatory, looking out at the weather.
The Port Pantry, Portpatrick, a café in Stranraer.