Walk: Cliff paths & pagans at Burrow Head

📌 Isle of Whithorn, Dumfries & Galloway
★★★

The Machars peninsula tapers to a single headland at Burrow Head, marking the southernmost tip of its 40-mile coastline. The Wicker Man was partly filmed here in the 1970s, though the prop of the wicker man statue which used to adorn the headland’s high point is no longer present. Walking from pretty Isle of Whithorn village is an undramatic affair at first, crossing fields full of sheep and cattle with good views back over houses and bay. After a mile or so you crest a small rise and the coastline abruptly becomes much rockier, with seals often gazing up from the base of increasingly high cliffs.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish at B7004 / B7063 junction, Isle of Whithorn village centre

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NX 477365

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 54.700836,-4.364599

🚌 Bus to Isle of Whithorn

🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 8 km / 5 mi | ▲ 120 m | ⌛ 2.5-3 hr

Features: 🏠 Isle of Whithorn ★★; 🌊 Burrow Head coastline

⬤ Moderate | Undulating grassy coast path, fairly rough and a little overgrown in parts.

➡️ Out-and-back walk from Isle of Whithorn to Burrow Head via coast path

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Cows and sheep on path through fields; roe deer, rabbits, cinnabar moths, seagulls and a few seals.

Weather: 20°C and mostly sunny with a moderate breeze; low cloud coming in off the sea for some of the outward leg.

June 2017