Far away from all the usual tourist routes, a magnificent headland juts out into the sea. Here, where seals and seagulls bid each other good night, a magnificent lighthouse stands guard over the sea from high cliffs.
Intro and travel report
The Mull of Galloway is located in the extreme south-west of Scotland and is the southernmost point of this beautiful country. The Mull of Galloway Lighthouse stands on the headland, a beautiful lighthouse in a location that could not be more scenic.
We left our motorhome in a small coastal town and cycled the last few kilometres (with a dog trailer). Firstly, because the last stretch of road to the lighthouse is only single lane and therefore unsuitable for our large motorhome.
But on the other hand, because we wanted to enjoy the beautiful landscape more intensely – and that’s exactly what we did! It’s wonderful to cycle over the hills by the sea, past small farms and lots of cattle and sheep. Near the lighthouse, you have to cross a cattle grid, which is a grid on the ground that you can drive over but which keeps the cattle inside.
Cattle and sheep roam freely around the lighthouse and on the road, including the big bull standing right next to the road! But luckily, he was completely peaceful and not interested in us at all…
Beautiful bays and beaches open up again and again at Mull of Galloway. Then comes a steep climb up to the Mull, where you can take a break with your bike (or car) in the small car park.
The hill of Mull drops steeply down to the sea – vertical, high cliffs dominate the landscape! Near the car park, there is a small restaurant with a beautiful terrace offering stunning views, located right on the edge of the cliffs. It is a wonderful place to sit and admire the cliffs with hundreds of seabirds, while gazing out over the sea.
The area around the lighthouse can only be explored on foot. There is a small road leading directly to the lighthouse and a small footpath around it. I highly recommend the latter, as the views are stunning in all directions!
The beautifully preserved lighthouse is, of course, also located on the edge of the cliffs. Next to the tower are the two lighthouse keepers’ cottages. Why two? Because the lighthouse was operated by two keepers who took turns working shifts.
They lived here with their families and also ran a small farm in the walled garden, growing fruit, vegetables, potatoes and whatever else the kitchen needed.
This type of lighthouse, with two small houses and a walled garden, is very common on the British and Irish islands.
There is also a small separate visitor centre in an old cottage, and the lighthouse can be visited and climbed. Incidentally, the tower is 26 metres high and stands an impressive 99 metres above sea level.
We didn’t take the tour, but instead enjoyed a long walk around the area, which is now a small nature reserve. And of course, we treated ourselves to a well-deserved lunch in the restaurant afterwards.
Afterwards, we got back on our bikes and cycled back to our motorhome in Drummore.
We spent the night at a campsite in Stranraer before taking the ferry from Cairnryan (near Stranraer) to Larne (Northern Ireland) the next morning.
We have used this ferry connection several times and I can highly recommend it, as it only takes about 2 hours, whereas connections from Wales to Dublin or Rosslare tend to take 4 hours.
On the way from Mull of Galloway Lighthouse to Stranraer, we made a detour to Portpatrick on the west coast. It’s a super cute little harbour town that I can highly recommend.
At the transition from the mainland to the long stretch of land, there is also a lovely, very long sandy beach. The best way to reach it is via the village of Sandhead – a very fitting name, don’t you think?
Conclusion
The Mull of Galloway is scenically beautiful and highly recommended. There are a few visitors at the lighthouse, but not many compared to the well-known highlights in the Highlands.
This is certainly also due to its somewhat remote location in the far south-west of Scotland. People mainly come here when combining a tour of Scotland with a tour of the Irish Islands.
The ferry connections from Cairnryan to Larne or Belfast in Northern Ireland are excellent and ideal for travelling to or from Ireland!
We have a second home in Ireland and took the Cairnryan-Larne ferry back.
More interesting articles for you
Coming soon…
Image credit cover photo: Mull of Galloway Lighthouse (photo: Ulrich Knüppel-Gertberg)
