A circular walk is usually preferable to a ‘there and back again’ route. But not always.
The first section of this walk along the coastal path from Portpatrick to the lighthouse is very enjoyable, with good views over the town and across the North Channel to Ireland. Shipping works its way from Cairnryan to Larne and at different times of the year there will be plenty of birdlife and marine activity to see.
If you follow this route, after the lighthouse you will follow the road all the way back to Portpatrick. If you follow my advice instead you will turn around and retrace your steps. While there are some points of interest along the road, I did not find that they adequately compensated for having to dodge the traffic.
Note that I picked up the wrong path at the bottom of Dunskey Glen and ended up taking a more circuitous route along a quad trail. Don’t follow my route but instead walk to the end of the beach and find the path up the cliff that I missed.
A range of facilities are available at the start/finish point in Portpatrick including public toilets, cafes, and some excellent seafood.
| When I walked it | 5/1/22 |
| How long it took me | 3:05 |
| How far I walked | 11.4 km |