The Portpatrick Circular Walk is a scenic route, a clifftop path with views over the Irish Sea in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It offers a blend of coastal views, historical landmarks, and woodlands. This moderate walk is suitable for most fitness levels and definitely should be on your to-do list when visiting Portpatrick.
Distance: Approximately 2.74 miles (4.4 km)
Duration: Around 1 hour and 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Starting Point: Portpatrick Harbour
The Portpatrick Circular Walk: what to see along the way
I’ve done this walk twice, and it’s wild how different the experience can be depending on the weather. The first time, it was pouring rain, muddy paths, grey skies, the full Scottish drama. The second time? Warm sunshine, turquoise water, and the kind of light that makes you stop every five minutes to take photos. Same trail, totally different vibes.
My latest visit was a quiet day, a Thursday afternoon. We visited Kennedy Castle Gardens in the morning, then headed to Portpatrick for lunch and a perfect coastal walk in the afternoon.
From Portpatrick Harbour to the Cliff Top Trail
The Portpatrick Circular Walk starts at the picturesque Portpatrick Harbour. From there, head up the steps to reach the clifftop path next to the Portpatrick hotel. The path then passes next to the Portpatrick, Dunskey Golf Club.
The path climbs over the Irish Sea and if the weather’s clear, it’s possible to see the coast of Ireland in the distance. I loved this coastal walk, the water was stunning, and it was hard to believe we were still in Scotland. I lived here for a year, and days like that were rare. We really got lucky with the weather the last time I visited (May 2025).
Sandeel Bay & the hidden cave waterfall
The path goes along the rugged coastline, eventually descending to Sandeel Bay Beach. Here, you’ll find the Ouchtriemakain Cave with a waterfall.
The Curious cable huts of Killantringan
The Portpatrick Circular Walk continue a little further to the Sandeel Bay Beach, you’ll come across a couple of old stone huts that might not look like much at first, but they’ve got a pretty interesting backstory. These are the Killantringan Cable Huts. Built in the 19th century, they were used to house telegraph cables that connected Scotland to Ireland and beyond. Basically early internet, Victorian-style. The huts are small, hexagonal, and a bit weather-beaten now, but they’re an interesting bit of tech history right in the middle of a coastal walk.
After this you can decide whether or not you would like to do the circular walk or simply come back via the same path.
