Transport

Ferries

Services connecting South West Scotland to Northern Ireland operate throughout the year from Stranraer and Cairnryan, which are just 5 miles, and five minutes apart by car.

P&O operate a ferry service from Cairnryan to Larne.

Stena Line currently operate a service from Stranraer to Belfast. Plans to move to an enlarged port with P&O in central Cairnryan were aborted in October 2007, and Stena Line announced in January 2008 that they are now re-investigating the possibility of a move to the North end of Cairnryan at Old House Point.

These ferries provide for day trips and short stays to Larne & Belfast. Perfect for a visit to Giants Causeway, or a shopping and sight-seeing day out in Belfast.

P&O General website:      

http://www.poirishsea.com

P&O Travel news:      

http://www.poirishsea.com/news/urgent_news.asp

Stena Line General website:

http://www.stenaline.co.uk/

Stena Line Travel news:  

http:/www.stenaline.co.uk/... ferrycheck

Rail

Stranraer rail station is just 4 miles away, and provides a direct link to Glasgow. Proposals have recently been made for the reinstatement of a railway connecting Cairnryan with Stranraer.

Rail enquiries

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/pois/....station.3.htm

Road

Bus & Coach enquiries

http://www.citylinkonlinesales.co.uk/CitylinkWeb

Bus timetables anywhere in Scotland

http://www.travelinescotland.com..

Local bus timetables

http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/dumgal/Documents.aspx?letter=T&page=9

Road traffic news

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/whereilive/travelscotland/

Air

Prestwick International Airport

http://www.gpia.co.uk/

Glasgow International Airport

http://www.glasgowairport.com/

Castle Kennedy Airfield

http://www.castlekennedyairfield.co.uk/index.htm

Weather

Stranraer & Cairnryan Weather forecast (next 5 days)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0377

Stranraer & Cairnryan High/low tides for next 7 days

http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/... Stranraer 7 day

With beautiful views the length of the coastline, the area is ideal for walking, bird watching, botany, and general relaxation.  True sandy beaches are close to hand at nearby Luce Bay, with the picturesque fishing village of Portpatrick being a fifteen minute drive away.

Logan fish pond, a fully restored Victorian Fish Larder, in the site of a blow hole which formed during the last ice age, is around 20 minutes away.

Galloway Forest Park, Britains largest forest park at 300 square miles, is only half an hour away.

Botanical Gardens

Gardens open for charity

http://www.gardensofscotland.org district 27

http://www.scotlands-garden.org.uk/whatson.html

Logan Botanic Gardens

http://www.rbge.org.uk/rbge/web/visiting/lbg.jsp

Logan House & Gardens

http://www.mull-of-galloway.co.uk/attractions/logan_house_gdns_enhance.html

Castle Kennedy & Gardens

http://www.castlekennedygardens.co.uk  (fast double click backwards required to exit their website and return to this one, since their website internally reroutes)

http://living.scotsman.com/features/Heritage-schemes.3937984.jp

Ardwell Gardens

http://www.mull-of-galloway.co.uk/attractions/ardwell_gardens.html

Glenwhan Gardens

http://www.glenwhangardens.co.uk/

Dunskey Gardens

http://www.dunskey.com

Castle of St John, Stranraer

http://www.dumfriesmuseum.demon.co.uk/casstjo.html

http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~leighann/articles/history/castle.html

Stranaer museum

http://www.dumfriesmuseum.demon.co.uk/stranmuse.html

Logan Fish Pond

http://www.loganfishpond.co.uk

Mull of Galloway

http://www.mull-of-galloway.co.uk

http://www.galliecraig.co.uk

Ailsa Craig trips

http://www.ailsacraig.org.uk

National Trust

http://www.scotlandforyou.co.uk

Culzean Castle & Country Park

http://www.culzeanexperience.org/

Galloway Forest Park

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/gallowayforestpark

Crossraguel Abbey

http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/majorsites/crossraguel.html

Bladnoch Distillery

http://www.bladnoch.co.uk/

List of South Ayrshire historic buildings

http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/community/Buildings.htm

Attractions in the wider Dumfries & Galloway area

http://www.dumfriesmuseum.demon.co.uk/muselst.html

Dumfries & Galloway: Summary of places of interest

http://www.cast.org.uk/A-C.htm

VisitScotland list of visitor attractions in Dumfries & Galloway

http://guide.visitscotland.com/vs/guide/......

Angling and deep sea fishing is available on Loch Ryan, and for golfers, there are courses at nearby Stranraer and Portpatrick . The world famous Turnberry  is just 30 minutes towards Ayr. Just 10 minutes away, Green Valley Golf Academy  provides a relaxed atmosphere for the entire family, has a landscaped 6 hole practice course, and 25 bay driving range, and can provide lessons  for beginners to scratch players.

Stranraer Leisure Centre provides a wealth of activities for old and young alike.

Golf

Golf courses

http://www.stranraer.org/golf/index.html

Golf driving range & tutoring

http://www.greenvalleygolf.co.uk

Bird watching

http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/website/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=80&Itemid=99

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/m/mullofgalloway/index.asp

http://www.fatbirder.com/links_geo/europe/scotland_dumfries_and_galloway.html

http://www.the-soc.zenwebhosting.com/docs/dumfries-and-galloway.pdf

Walking

http://www.britishwalks.org..stranraer

http://www.southernuplandway.com/

http://walking.visitscotland.com/walks/southscotland/

Leisure Centre

http://www.stranraer.org/ryancentre/

http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/dumgal/miniweb.aspx?id=201

Camera Club

http://www.stranraercameraclub.org.uk/index.htm

Events are shown in order throughout the entire year. Where dates have yet to be announced, the previous year details show.

Scottish Snowdrop Festival Sundays starting 3rd February 2008

http://www.rbge.org.uk/about-us/news/stories/scottish-snowdrop-festival  (Logan)

https://vault2.secured-url.com/stair/ckg/events.htm (Castle Kennedy)

Dumfries & Galloway Wildlife Festival

21st March-13th April 2008      

http://www.wildlifefestival.org.uk/

Galloway Garden Festival

May 2008

http://www.gallowaygardenfestival.org/

Wigtown Book Festival:

Spring 

(held 5th-6th May 2007)

Autumn

(held 28th Sept - 7th Oct 2007)

http://www.wigtownbookfestival.com/

Newton Stewart Walking Festival

9th -15th May 2008

http://www.newtonstewartwalkfest.com/

Castle Kennedy Scottish Model

Air Show:

17th,18th May 2008

http://www.saaweb.org.uk/

Stranraer Half Marathon plus Junior Runs

7th June 2008

http://www.runstranraer.co.uk/

Stranraer show

30th July 2008

http://www.stranraershow.com/

Ayr Flower Show

8th,9th & 10th August 2008  

http://www.ayrflowershow.org/

Portpatrick Folk Festival

(held 31st August - 2nd September 2007)

http://www.portpatrickfolkfestival.org/index.html

and http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/dumgal/events.aspx?id=1646

Galloway Golf Classic:

(held 10th-11th Sept and

13th-14th Sept 2007)     

http://www.gallowaygolfclassic.co.uk/

Stranraer 10k road race

(held 3rd November 2007)

http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/dumgal/events.aspx?id=1692

Stranraer & area events

http://www.stranraer.org/sti_live/events.html

List of events in Dumfries & Galloway

http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/dumgal/events.aspx

List of events in South Ayrshire

http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/news/events.htm

Football

http://www.stranraer-mad.co.uk/

http://www.stranraerfc.org/

Shops, businesses & services

http://www.stranraer.org/directory/

Stranraer Free Press

http://www.stranraer-freepress.co.uk/

Galloway Gazette

http://www.gallowaygazette.com/

Galloway News

http://icdumfries.icnetwork.co.uk/

Dumfries & Galloway Standard

http://icdumfries.icnetwork.co.uk/dumfriesgalloway/

Stranraer current & historical  news

http://www.stranraer.org/sti_live/news.html

Belfast Telegraph

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/article3245412.ece (this article reports Stena 2008 business increase)

A Harbour Empowerment Order was originally sought in December 2005, and following inquiries, the decision to allow this was finally rubber-stamped in May 2007. However, it was announced in October 2007 that the move to Cairnryan would NOT be taking place after all - see BBC link below.

January 2008 saw Stena Line announce that they are now re-investigating the possibility of moving their operations to Old House Point (shown by red circle ● on map)

The move from Stranraer would have resulted (and may still result, if Stena Line relocate further up Loch Ryan) in vacation of a vast area, for which there are multi-million pound proposals for a waterfront development. Funding for a £1.2 million breakwater to protect the harbour has already been agreed, and work was begun in early 2007. 

There are suggestions for a Maritime Museum & Heritage Centre at the current Stranraer berthing dock for Stena Line.

Stranraer has also entered itself in a bid for one of the 16 casino licenses to be issued. On 22nd January 2008, Whitehall sources signalled that eight large and eight medium-sized casinos would go ahead.

To cater for enhanced ferry traffic flow in the area, there are proposals for road widening in several areas along the A77 & A75.

Cairnryan Port

http://www.cairnryanportdevelopment.co.uk/ 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7056213.stm (October 22nd 2007 news regarding plans no longer going ahead)

http://www.contractjournal.com/Articles/2007/05/16/54919/hochtief-ties-up-scots-ports-deal.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/6709213.stm

http://www.stranraer.org/sti_live/2007/news_may_stena.html

Stranraer Waterfront

http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/dumgal/documents.aspx?id=11626

http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/....stranraerwaterfront.htm

http://www.scottish-enterprise.com//...rhinsrenewal.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7136194.stm(11/12/2007 - 50 berth marina go-ahead)

Stranraer Maritime Museum & Heritage Centre

http://www.stranraermaritimemuseum.co.uk/

Casino proposal

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=509836&in_page_id=1770&ICO=NEWS&ICL=TOPART (January 2008 news)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/6294950.stm  (July 2007 news)

http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/dumgal/documents.aspx?id=19512  (Jan 2007 news)

http://www.culture.gov.uk/cap/proposals/Dunfries.pdf

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4813618.stm