Portpatrick

Portpatrick

infobox UK place
country = Scotland
official_name= Portpatrick
gaelic_name= Port Phàdraig
scots_name=
population= 585 (2001 Census)
os_grid_reference= NW995545
map_type=Scotland
latitude=54.84504
longitude=-5.12429
unitary_scotland= Dumfries and Galloway
lieutenancy_scotland= Wigtown
constituency_westminster= Dumfries and Galloway
constituency_scottish_parliament= Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
post_town= Stranraer
postcode_district = DG9
postcode_area= DG
dial_code= 01776-81

Portpatrick (Gd: "Port Phàdraig") is a village hanging on to the extreme south-westerly tip of mainland Scotland, cut into a cleft in steep cliffs.

Dating back historically some 500 years, and built adjacent to the ruins of nearby Dunskey Castle, it boasts a position on the Rhins of Galloway that affords visitors views of the Northern Irish coast to the west, with clifftop walks and beaches both north and south. The Gulf Stream, flowing in from the north, gives the coastline a pleasant climate, in which subtropical plantlife can flourish.

Industrially, the village was founded on fishing origins, with construction of the crescent shaped harbour that remains the focal point of the village today. In latter stages of Portpatrick's history it was important as a ferry port for transport between Northern Ireland and Scotland, and handled postal mail and freight. However, in the late 19th century, when shipping became a considerably larger feature of industry, the village's vulnerability to strong westerly winds made it unviable for larger ships, and thus most of the profitable trading routes were diverted to nearby Stranraer, despite the longer voyage out of the northerly-facing Loch Ryan.

To the extreme north on the clifftop where the town's 100 year old Portpatrick Hotel stands, begins the scenic Southern Upland Way to Cockburnspath on the east coast.

Railway

The Portpatrick railway station was the original terminus of the Portpatrick Railway.

Today

Today the village retains a fleet of fishing craft, and a lifeboat is still stationed in Portpatrick. There are bowls clubs, a very active golf club (Dunskey), many guesthouses and hotels, and rustic public houses.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Portpatrick — Koordinaten 54° 51′ N, 5° 7′ W …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Portpatrick — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Portpatrick Gd:Port Phàdraig Escudo Mapa Información básica …   Wikipedia Español

  • Portpatrick — Portpatrick, Hafenort in Wigtownshire (Schottland), am Nordkanal, mit (1891) 520 Einw. und unterseeischem Telegraphen nach dem nur 33 km entfernten Irland …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway — [v · d · …   Wikipedia

  • Girvan and Portpatrick Junction Railway — [v · d · …   Wikipedia

  • Southern Upland Way — Portpatrick …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Portpartrick —    PORTPATRICK, a burgh of barony, sea port, and parish, in the county of Wigton, 6½ miles (S. W.) from Stranraer, and 34 (W.) from Wigton; containing 2043 inhabitants, of whom 996 are in the burgh. This place, of which the original name was… …   A Topographical dictionary of Scotland

  • Colfin railway station — Colfin Location Coordinates 54°50′56″N 5°03′19″W …   Wikipedia

  • Rhins of Galloway — Not to be confused with Rinns of Islay. The Rhins of Galloway (also known as The Rhins; and can be spelt The Rhinns; Scottish Gaelic: Na Rannaibh [1]) is a hammer head peninsula in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Stretching more than 25 miles… …   Wikipedia

  • Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway — [v · d · …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”