Portpatrick Railway Walk
This walk takes you along a section of the old Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Railway in Glenluce.
The walk starts in Glenuce and heads west towards the photogenic Luce Viaduct. Here you can pick up a short section of the railway path heading south west towards Challoch Junction. On the way you can enjoy some pleasant views of the surrounding countryside. Scroll down for photos and more information about the history of the railway.
You can continue your railway walking by heading to nearby Gatehouse of Fleet to visit the Big Water of Fleet Viaduct. The viaduct is a local historic highlight and provides wonderful views over the area from the top. You can also explore the wonderful wild landscape of the Cairnsmore of Fleet National Nature Reserve in this area.
Portpatrick Railway Walk Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Portpatrick Railway Walk Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Portpatrick Railway Walk OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Portpatrick Railway Walk Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
In Portpatrick itself you could visit the delightful Dunskey Glen where there's an historic estate with woodland, wildlife, beautiful gardens, lakes and a picturesque waterfall.
The cliff top ruins of Dunskey Castle can also be visited in this area.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Luce Viaduct. The Portpatrick Railway was established to connect Castle Douglas with Portpatrick in 1861 and 1862, aiming to revitalise transportation to Ireland via Portpatrick. However, Stranraer soon surpassed Portpatrick as the primary port for this purpose. The railway was often called "The Paddy" due to its Irish connection. A branch line, the Wigtownshire Railway, was added in 1875, connecting Newton Stewart to Whithorn via a junction with the Portpatrick Railway. The entire PPR route, also referred to as the "Port Road," linked Dumfries with Portpatrick and Stranraer, forming a key rail and sea route between England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Old Railway. Despite serving a sparsely populated area, the line played a significant role by handling heavy passenger and freight traffic to and from Ireland. Most of the line was closed in 1965, although the section between Stranraer Harbour and Challoch Junction remains in operation as part of the Glasgow-Ayr-Stranraer line.
Stranraer to Dumfries Rail line
Private level crossing at East Challoch