Portpatrick

Portpatrick is a small fishing village cut into a cleft in steep cliffs with a rescent shaped harbour. Popular location for 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 plant life can flourish.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Portpatrick was important as a ferry port for passengers, postal mail and freight between Ireland and Scotland. During this period (1759–1826), Portpatrick was described as the Gretna Green for Ireland. There was a daily packet boat from Donaghadee, and marriages for couples from Ireland were conducted by the Church of Scotland minister in Portpatrick.

However, in the late 19th century Portpatrick’s vulnerability to strong westerly winds made it unviable for larger ships, and most of the profitable trading routes were diverted to nearby Stranraer.