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 Topic: Stranraer Festival on countryfile
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14/10/2024 at 6:53pm
Location: West Yorkshire
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The oyster festival in Stranraer was the main report on last night's Countryfile programme.
Anybody been? Any good for someone who doesn't like oysters?
We've not been to that area so thinking of looking for some sites around there and doing a week or so mini-tour
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15/10/2024 at 8:39am
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Its about 20 years since we visited the area, but well worth it as its much quieter than the other Scottish hotspots.
Stranraer still had the ferry service back then, but since that ended its become like many places you have no need to visit or pass through, run down in areas, as per the report, hence the festival, but it still has some attraction.
The Rhinns of Galloway, Isle of Whithorn, Wigtown for the many bookshops, Castle Douglas, the Forest Park are all worth a trip and its on my last for another visit.
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 via mobile 15/10/2024 at 9:31am
Location: Ayrshire
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Stranraer town isn’t a destination: it’s a sad place now since both Irish ferry companies moved to new terminals up the coast of Loch Ryan at Cairnryan.
You could come for the Skiffie festival instead (it’s a type of coastal rowing boat), but there are many ways to eat oysters (they can be lightly cooked but still expensive) & there are other things going on - as far as I know, not been.
Dumfries & Galloway is very varied. The Rhins is the peninsula west of Stranraer, mostly rolling green grazing land & sea cliffs with sea birds - read reviews of Sands of Luce site & New England Bay site & Castle Point (Portpatrick) for ideas about what’s in the area. So mild that there are Cabbage Palms at Logan Botanic Gardens, very tropical.
For hill walking, look up Glen Trool area on Site Search, east & inland from Stranraer. It’s currently being proposed for Scotland’s third National Park, currently Britain’s first Dark Sky Park. If you’re properly equipped, walk up The Merrick: on a clear day, you can see Snowdonia.
My favourite site at the west end ie Galloway is Drumroamin & Garlieston by the harbour is popular too.
On the way across, I’d recommend stopping at Silvercraigs because Kirkcudbright is a bonny town, “the artists town” with the excellent Town Galleries (national exhibitions) & pretty harbour. If you’re a CAMC member, there are CLs for when you’re coming over the border eg near Powfoot or New Abbey, to get to the coast to see the Lake District & off the A75.
D&G has a lot of walking, cycling (several of the Seven Stanes mountain biking centres of South Scotland are in D&G), abbeys, fascinating castles (my favourite is the triangular moated Caerlaverock Castle near Dumfries, or getting a boat across to Threave Castle near Castle Douglas), gardens, some huge beaches & beautiful hidden ones (eg at Ross Bay site), inexpensive but excellent golf courses, important Christian places (eg Whithorn Priory dig) associated with St Ninian, Wigtown (the Book Town) has dozens of books shops & an annual book festival.
Easier to explore in a car than a MH because there are many minor roads away from the main A75 - avoid A75 if you can, it’s a fast road with HGVs heading to the ferry terminals; I used to visit two offices in D&G and every person in both had been involved in road accidents on that road. Mild weather. Check out the SWC300 (south west coastal) - although it’s a strange circular route coming up into Ayrshire, it has lots of suggestions for the area.
I hope that helps. Site Search is invaluable, reviews very helpful, as always.
Sorry for a long post but I don’t know what your interests are (apart from oysters…) I’d suggest a staged route to Stranraer area & back, rather than dashing over there in 3 hours from Carlisle & staying local, as you’d miss so much.
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2025=3 sites, 5 nights; 2024 = 20 sites / 41 nights. 2023 = 9/23. 2022 = 13/35. 2021 = 11/29. 2020 = 4/20. 2019 = 13/35. 2018 = 20/33. 2017 = 10/22. 2016 = 19/33. 2015 = 15 sites / 27 nights. Didn't count 1976 to 2014.
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17/10/2024 at 6:59pm
Location: West Yorkshire
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My post got moved, only just found it!
Thanks so much for those really helpful replies. It's an area we don't know and so will look into a week or more in the area with overnighters on the way there and back. We're in C&CC, not the other one but use private sites as well.
Presume we will be fairly safe from midges? Probably September.
Thanks!
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