Cairnryan

Cairnryan, the Scottish gate to Ireland

The port is located at the narrow gulf of Loch Ryan, in the Cairnryan village of the county of Wigtownshire that belongs to the Dumfries and Galloway region. Until 2011, the port used to be in the nearby city called Stranraer.
Don’t expect anything fancy or tourist attractions when you arrive at the ferry terminal, since it only hosts travelling facilities. The city centre is 8 km away. There are regular daily crossings from Belfast to Scotland and the journey lasts 3 hours. Put on a kilt and discover Scotland’s highlights with cheap ferry tickets to Cairnryan through Let’s Ferry.

The port of Cairnryan

Top attractions
• Explore Stranraer, the closest city to the port. Visit the 4 floor-high St. John Castle which was built in 1510. It’s an example of fine medieval architecture and its worth saying that for some time in the past it was a prison.
• Drive 45 km to reach the southernmost point of Scotland to visit the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse.Climb 115 steps to reach its top of and get rewarded with spectacular views to the Irish and English coasts, as well as the Isle of Man.
• Travel to Turnberry, a nearby village with a 24 m. tall lighthouse. Enjoy horse riding at the sea, and refresh your archery skills in a scenery that has come out of a movie set.

Top activities
• Discover one of Scotland’s finest beaches, Rockcliffe, 112 km from the port. It is mainly sandy and, except for some rocky parts. There are many trails starting along the coast that lead to the city or some green areas. Here you will also find cafes and public restrooms.
• Have a long walk and enjoy a cup of tea at the Glewham Gardens and Arboretum, 15 km from the port. This botanical garden has a blooming scenery with many kinds of plants, lakes and an iconic tearoom.
• Visit the Agnew Park in Stranraer and spend a day with various activities for the whole family: Walks, carting and touring around the lake with a boat.
• Open air theatre, guided walking tours, drinking tea in the garden, are some of the things you can do at the Castle Kennedy Gardens, located at the village of the same name, 12 km from the port.
• Explore the Drumlanrig Castle, which was built in the 17thcentury and stretches over 120.000 acres in Thornhill. Organise a castle tour, visit the tearoom, discover rare bird and plant species at a typical British country landscape.
• Enjoy the most famous local product, the Scottish whiskey at the Annandale Distillery. You can find it in Annan, 150 km from the port.

Tip: You can reach the port by train, bus, ferry or plane. Carlisle airport is 250 km away and Glasgow’s 140. Stranraer is the closest railway station, 7 km from the port. Spend a few days in a medieval scenery with green fields and castles, by booking online cheap ferry tickets to Cairnryan through Let’s Ferry.