We got stuck in Mull of Galloway!
Exactly five years ago, we set off on a trip to the Mull of Galloway. This nature reserve is located 2.5 hours by car from Glasgow and the southernmost point of Scotland with amazing views. Together with friends, we decided to go on a trip for the night so that we could fish right at dawn. With no greater planning, we packed our rods, provisions, and a tent, and we set off on our journey! Of course, it wouldn't be without adventures..
Urszulka
7/19/20254 min read
This nature reserve is located 2.5 hours by car from Glasgow and the southernmost point of Scotland with amazing views.
Exactly five years ago, we set off on a trip to the Mull of Galloway.
Together with friends, we decided to go on a trip for the night so that we could fish right at dawn. With no greater planning, we packed our rods, provisions, and a tent, and we set off on our journey!
Of course, it wouldn't be without adventures..
We got stuck!
It was quite a chilly evening, and we, after a several-hour journey in the dark, were eager to find a place to stay. If only we had known about the free parking right by the lighthouse!
Searching for a spot at night, being there for the first time, turned out to be harder than we had thought. Eventually, we turned left to East Tarbet Bay beach and... see for yourselves.
We lost our shoes and socks in the mud, as well as a lot of strength and nerves, but in the end, we managed to push the car out! Shortly after that, we fell asleep like babies to the sound of waves in the tent, while our friends were in the car.
The next day we woke up to such beautiful views!
Lighthouse from 200 years ago
We spent the whole day walking in the reserve and admiring the Mull of Galloway lighthouse, which is located 99m above sea level on the edge of a 70-meter cliff. It was built by Robert Stevenson in 1830 and its light has been operational ever since!
You can climb up 115 steps to get to the top of the lighthouse and, on a clear day with good visibility, to see Scotland, Cumbria, the Isle of Man, and Ireland from one spot. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to do that, as the lighthouse can only be visited with a guide from Easter to the end of October, and we arrived there in mid-March.
During the same period, you will also visit the former engine room, where there is a exhibition of lighthouses, which will answer all your questions regarding the operation of lighthouses in the time before electricity. The exhibition also tells the story of the historic lighthouse keepers who lived and worked at Mull of Galloway.
John O'Groats is a Scottish village right at the very north, about 285 miles from here,
a distance similar to London! And only 42 miles to Belfast :)
For those who enjoy long walks, we recommend the 40-kilometer trail from Mull of Galloway through sandy beaches to Stranraer. For more information, we direct you to the Walkhighlands website: Find out more.
The southernmost point of Scotland
This breathtaking cliff called Gallie Craig is the southernmost point of Scotland, but not only that! It is also home to a family of foxes that hunt the chicks nesting there.
Would you dare to drink coffee on such a terrace of the Gallie Craig Coffee House?
From the lighthouse, a steep path leads down to the huge fog siren.
Its history dates back to 1984 when the siren provided an additional warning for ships, until the automation of the lighthouse in 1988.
Mull of Galloway turned out to be absolutely beautiful!
Although our adventure had its challenges, we fondly remember it to this day.