Into Galloway

After Ballantrae I crossed the river Stinchar and took a detour along a winding lane, initially up a Stinchar of a hill, then weaving up & down around pretty wooded valleys.

The A78 wasn't as bad as I feared. It went through some grand scenery, but the roadside scenery was non-existent, like many new roads.  Soon enough I entered Dumfries and Galloway and came to sunny Stranraer.   It was lunchtime.  Stranraer is a big, busy town, surprising as it's not really on the way to anywhere. The ferries don't seem to leave from here any more: they go from Cairnryan, further up the loch where I guess there's deeper water.

The only thing past Stranraer is the Rhins of Galloway, an H-shaped appendix of land sticking up and down, perhaps 50 miles from top to bottom.  So, 100 miles around?  Cycling round the top half reminder me of the isle of Bute: empty lanes, hilly, agricultural countryside, a few pretty woods, hardly saw the sea.  A nice ride, ending at Portpatrick, a picturesque port (duh) on the west coast.  Tea shops shut so was forced to go to a pub.  And I've found a campsite for tonight, just a mile out of town.  Minimum temperature is forecast to be 5°C.