๐Ÿ“Œ Whithorn, Dumfries & Galloway
โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ St Ninian’s Cave closed for conservation work – walk itself is open (checked April 2024)

A wander down shady Physgill Glen to Port Castle Bay is probably the most popular walk on the Machars. It’s all thanks to St Ninian, the saint who first introduced Christianity to Scotland, who used a cave here as a retreat and place of prayer. Consequently the walk to St Ninian’s Cave has become a popular pilgrimage, with a cool forest section leading to a beautiful stony beach. The cave lies at the other end of the bay and looks impressive from a distance, but turns out to be pretty puny once you get closer. And the early Christian crosses which used to reside in the cave have now been moved to the museum at Whithorn Priory. But, as a pilgrim might say, it’s all about the journey…

๐Ÿ“ท Chronological photo guide

๐ŸŒ Location

๐Ÿ“Œ Start / finish at minor road end, Kidsdale, 2 mi south of Whithorn

๐Ÿงญ O.S. Grid Reference: NX 431367

๐Ÿ›ฐ๏ธ GPS coordinates: 54.700526,-4.436015

โŒ No public transport within 1 mi. Nearest bus stop is at Drury Lane Cottage (just over 1 mi to north)

๐Ÿš— Car park (charge)

๐Ÿ“ Key info

โ–ถ 3 km / 2 mi | โ–ฒ 60 m | โŒ› 1 hr

Features: ๐Ÿ–๏ธ Port Castle Bay; ๐Ÿ•ธ๏ธ St Ninian’s Cave โ˜…โ˜…

โฌค Easy | Wide track / paths to coast, just a little muddy in the woods. Shingle beach to reach cave – may be inaccessible at very high tides.

โžก๏ธ Out-and-back walk: start – Physgill Glen – Port Castle Bay – St Ninian’s Cave – return by outward route

Download file for GPS

๐Ÿฅพ On our last visit

Wildlife: Small birds and loads of wild garlic in the woods; swallows nesting above the cave.

Weather: About 20ยฐC and sunny with light winds, but much cooler in the wooded glen.

June 2017

Also on this walk

St Ninian’s Cave โ˜…โ˜…

๐ŸŒ Location

๐Ÿ“Œ At the west end of Port Castle Bay, 3 mi south of Whithorn

๐Ÿงญ O.S. Grid Reference: NX 423360

๐Ÿ›ฐ๏ธ GPS coordinates: 54.693919,-4.448514

โŒ No public transport within 1 mi

๐Ÿš— See info for walk route above

๐Ÿ“ Key info

โŒš Always open

๐ŸŽซ Free

๐Ÿ”— historicenvironment.scot

๐Ÿ’ฌ There is no quicker route to the cave than the walk described above.

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