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Grassy clifftops at the Mull of Galloway dropping to rocks and a calm blue sea, in low sun.
Dumfries and Galloway

Mull of Galloway Trail

A long-distance walk from Scotland's most southerly point up the Rhins of Galloway, then round Loch Ryan to Glenapp.

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Welcome

Few long walks begin anywhere quite as dramatic as this one, which leaves the seabird cliffs of the Mull and heads north.

The first part keeps close to the shore of Luce Bay, through Drummore, Ardwell and Sandhead, before the trail turns inland. It's one of Scotland's Great Trails, made and looked after by volunteers from the Rotary Club of Stranraer, with waymarks to follow and information boards along the way. The going is generally flat, with some steep stretches. Walk it end to end, or choose a single stretch for a fine day, and pack a flask and something good for lunch. Plan the bus back before you set off.

Round the cornerGallie Craig, Mull of GallowayA turf-roofed coffee house built into the clifftop at the Mull of Galloway, Scotland's southernmost point, with views to Ireland and the Isle of Man.1 min by roadSee itGallie Craig, Mull of Galloway
Before you go
Where
It starts at the Mull of Galloway, DG9 9HP, and ends at Glenapp Church in South Ayrshire.
Length
37 miles from the Mull to Glenapp, taking in the Loch Ryan Coastal Path; the first 26.5 miles end in Stranraer. About three days end to end, stopping at Sandhead and Stranraer.
The steep parts
Between Maryport and the Mull, and north of Cairnryan. There are two wet areas on the Loch Ryan Coastal Path.
Parking
Free for day visitors in the large car park at the Mull, by the Gallie Craig Coffee House.
Buses
From Stranraer to Drummore and from Stranraer to Glenapp. There is no bus between Drummore and the Mull.
Dogs
Welcome at the Mull under close supervision and on a lead.
Going on
At Glenapp the trail meets the Ayrshire Coastal Path.

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Where it is

In the far south-west of Scotland, passing Stranraer and Cairnryan on the way north.

Close byLogan, the Mull of Galloway and the Rhins.
  1. Small wooden hut on grassy clifftop above sea cliffs and wavesMull of GallowayThe last of Scotland: cliffs, seabirds and a lighthouse on the point.Under a mile 1 min by road
  2. Mull of Galloway LighthouseMull of Galloway LighthouseRobert Stevenson's tower of 1830 on the last cliff in Scotland.Under a mile 1 min by road
  3. Port Logan's stone pier running out to its little round lighthouse tower, yachts moored in the calm bay and the village's houses on the far shore.Port LoganAn old stone pier with a little lighthouse tower at its end, on a sandy bay south of Logan Botanic Garden.9 miles 23 min by road
  4. Palm trees and colourful flowerbeds line a gravel path in a coastal gardenLogan Botanic GardenTree ferns and cabbage palms on the Rhins, kept alive by the Gulf Stream.10 miles 27 min by road
  5. Kirkmadrine's small stone church on its rise among the fields, the red sandstone porch at its west end where the early Christian stones stand behind glass, old gravestones in the grass beside it.Kirkmadrine StonesSome of the earliest Christian memorial stones in Scotland, behind glass in the porch of a small church near Sandhead.15 miles 32 min by road
  6. Small wooden hut atop layered coastal cliffs above the seaRhins of GallowayThe peninsula at Scotland's south-west tip, circled by an 83-mile waymarked coast path from Stranraer to the Mull of Galloway and back.17 miles 34 min by road
  7. Glenwhan Botanic Garden from the top of the slope: flowering shrubs and rhododendrons round the lochans, with Luce Bay and the Mull of Galloway on the horizon.Glenwhan Botanic GardenA botanic garden and arboretum on the hillside above Dunragit, east of Stranraer.21 miles 46 min by road
Directions
CafeGallie Craig, Mull of Galloway0.2 miles

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Stay nearby

Places to stay near the trail, and when each is next free.

Selkie's Haven Lodge, a white building of two wings with pointed slate roofs, a table and a palm on its terrace.Selkie's Haven Lodge
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Portpatrick
  • 19 miles from the start of the trail
Free 25–28 OctDunskey House, the castle, in autumn, red and gold ivy over its walls, chimneys and gables.The Royal Apartment
  • Sleeps 10
  • In Portpatrick
  • 19 miles from the start of the trail
Free 29 Nov – 2 DecFrom above, Dunskey House, the castle, its grey gables and chimneys, fields and woods running to the sea behind.The Velvet Upperground
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Portpatrick
  • 19 miles from the start of the trail
Free 24–27 OctThe front of Wren's Nest, a stone cottage with a pale blue door, a table and chairs and a timber planter on the lawn before it.Wren's Nest
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Portpatrick
  • 19 miles from the start of the trail
Free 24–27 OctPlaces to stayEvery stay in Dumfries and GallowayAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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