ACTIVITIES
WALKING: The quiet peninsula of the Machars is ideal walking country with rolling pastures and dramatic coastal scenery. The Gulf Stream influences the mild climate, and even the main roads are remarkably traffic free. The Tourist Board booklet - Walking in the Machars- details 9 walks of varying length. The Galloway Hills to the north provide more challenging hill walking with superb views.
CYCLING: The gentle rolling countryside and quiet roads make ideal cycling country. There are a number of signed cycle routes ranging from 17 to 25 miles in length. The area is rich in scenic, wildlife, historic and cultural interest and cyclists find much to explore and enjoy.
FISHING: Go sea angling from the Isle of Whithorn, Port William or Garlieston. Both the Cree and the Bladnoch are popular game fishing rivers and the region has over 60 lochs offering brown and/or rainbow trout fishing to the public.
SIGHTSEEING: Whithorn - St Ninian founded Scotland's first Christian settlement here, the remains of the Priory and Chapel remain and there is a walk from Burrow Head to St Ninians Cave. See also the archeological dig and visitor centre. The Isle of Whithorn is located on the southernmost tip of the peninsula and it was here that St Ninian came ashore. The harbour is one of the busiest in the region with regular landings from Irish Sea shell fishing boats and from light trawling and lobster fishing. Wigtown is Scotland's National Book Town with 20 bookshops and a further ll Book/Print related and Arts/Crafts related businesses. It holds an annual ten day literary festival in September/October each year. Port William has a harbour for pleasure boats and one or two angling charter boats. Second Sands at the northern end of the village has firm, gently shelving sands and two miles to the south there are extensive stretches of flat sand. The village takes its name from Sir William Maxwell of Monreith - nearby at Monreith is an otter memorial to his grandson Gavin Maxwell who wrote "Ring of Bright Water". Monreith Animal World is well worth a visit to see otters, owls, Persion Jirds, pygmy goats to name but a few. Garlieston is a pretty harbour, now a conservation area, with interesting walks and links to the WW2 Mulberry Harbour construction.
BIRDWATCHING: The Machars provide excellent birdwatching areas along the rocky coastline and at Wigtown Bay - the largest Local Nature Reserve in Britain is internationally important for wintering pink-footed geese and nationally important for pintail, whooper swan and curlew.
GOLF: The nearest course is on the coast at Monreith and there is a championship course at Stranraer.