Portpatrick is a village hanging on to the extreme south-westerly tip of mainland Scotland, cut into a cleft in steep cliffs.

Dating back historically some 500 years, and built adjacent to the ruins of nearby Dunskey Castle, its position on the Rhins of Galloway affords visitors views of the Northern Irish coast to the west, with clifftop walks and beaches both north and south.

The Gulf Stream, flowing in from the north, gives the coastline a pleasant climate, in which subtropical plantlife can flourish.

Pictures by Alastair Campbell - GallowayNightSky

'The Port' - Picture by Alastair Campbell

Foot Steps to Dunskey Castle

Dunskey Castle is a ruined, early 16th century tower house, located 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south of the village of Portpatrick, Dumfries and Galloway, on the south-west coast of Scotland. The three-storey L-plan structure is sited on a promontory, with a rock-cut ditch, 15 metres (49 ft) wide by 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) deep, defending the only access, from the north-east. The castle measures 30 by 14.3 metres (98 by 46.9 ft), with walls 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) thick, although the building is now a roofless shell. The north-east wing is of a later date, and the foundations of a south range are visible. Near the castle are the remains of a watchtower, 7 metres (23 ft) square, built on the cliff edge. Dunskey Castle on the Mull of Galloway Alan W. Mackie http://www.197aerial.co.uk

'Who's Counting' - Picture by GallowayNightSky