From our garden gate, turn right as far as the Portpatrick Hotel where you can cut through the car park and join the cliff top path. Turn left onto the path and walk down a number of steps to the harbour-side.

 While walking round the harbour, look out for the Black Guillemots.These little black and white sea birds, with blood red legs and gape, waddle about in a similar way to penguins. There are several nesting pairs to be seen in the harbour where they breed in holes in the harbour wall. Best time to see them is April - mid July although they are often there at other times of the year as well.

You may also like to make a small detour to look at an unusual plaque on the cliff near the archway at the outlet of the Dinvin Burn. This is in honour of the Portpatrick Lifeboatmen who fought to save the "Princess Victoria" which sank off Corsewall Point in January 1953.

                                    Princess Victoria Memorial near Portpatrick Harbour 

 Back to our walk, carry on along to the far end of the sea front and find another, longer flight of  120 or so steps at the far end of the village which climb to the top of the south cliff. There is a seat part way up the steps. The path crosses a bridge over a ravine then carries on past the ruins of Dunskey Castle ( for more information, see the Dunskey Castle walk)

 Back to our walk, carry on along to the far end of the sea front and find another, longer flight of  120 or so steps at the far end of the village which climbs to the top of the south cliff. There is a seat part way up the steps. The path crosses a bridge over a ravine then carries on past the ruins of Dunskey Castle ( for more information, see the Dunskey Castle walk)

                                                       Dunskey Castle from the south

  Follow the coastline as it swings left and go through a gate into Castlebay Caravan Park. Although there is a path outside the park perimiter, it is easier to walk through the park itself keeping close to the fence parallel to the sea and at the far end, where there is a marker, a small path steeply descends a gully. Walk across a footbridge over the stream and regain the cliff top following the path which can be very muddy and slippery especially after heavy rain.

Once on the cliff top again , the path is fairly obvious and more or less level. There are usually skylarks singing above and a peregrine falcon or two can sometimes be seen. Porpoises can also be seen from time to time near the coast-line.

  Eventually you will see the secluded Morroch Bay below you where there are two self catering cottages accessed by a very steep road.

You can either explore the bay or, probably a more interesting option is to follow the fence as it leads inland along the edge of the inlet above Knockinaam until, at the furthest inland point, a path leads down to the right and ends at the driveway to Knockinaam.

There is a public footpath to the right of the hotel`s grounds which leads to the beach where you can explore the rocks and marvel at the setting.

                                                         Knockinaam Bay, near Portatrick

Knocinaam House Hotel welcomes walkers so why not pop in for a coffee. Guests have told us that Knockinaam serve delighful coffee and scones with jam and cream on the lawn with silver service for about £5.50 per head.

To return to Portpatrick, you can either retrace your steps or, for a bit of variety and easier terrain, you can walk along the road by turning sharp left about 100 m  after "Glen Cottage" at the end of Knockinaam`s driveway.

This road is all uphill at first but the views make it well worth the effort. It leads back into Portpatrick.

Allow at least 3 hours for the complete walk. It is possible to reduce the length of the walk by turning inland at the access track to Morroch Bay which takes you to the road mentioned above.