The South West Coastal 300is a new Scottish driving route that is perfect for a campervan or motorhometrip. Extending some 300 miles through the tranquil and scenic south-westregion of Scotland, the circular road route takes in numerous attractions.
Holidaying on the South West Coastal 300
The SWC300 is the third in a series of Scottish driving routes, including the North Coast 500 and the North East 250.
The SWC300 drive could becompleted several days while on holiday in Scotland in a campervan or motorhomehire. But there is so much to see and do that it would be better to enjoy thejourney over a week.
This guide to the South West Coastal 300 splits the journey into four sections.
South West Coastal 300 in a nutshell
The 300-mile-or-so South West Coastal 300 (SWC300) is located in a quiet corner of Scotland in the south-west area. It heads through Dumfries & Galloway region and Ayrshire.
The driving loop reaches themost southerly point in Scotland at Mull of Galloway, as well as passingthrough Wanlockhead, in the Lowther Hills.
The SWC300 features fabulouscoastlines, including two lowland peninsulas, and several traditional seasidehotspots of Ayrshire.
Inland, the route windsthrough a delightful rolling countryside, edges atmospheric forests and crossesdramatic moorlands.
The SWC300 sticks as much aspossible to quiet country roads although inevitably there are some shorter stretchesthat are busier with traffic.
It’s possible to startanywhere on the circular route. Most peoplewill access the SWC300 from major routes, including the M74 and M77.
Section 1 of South West Coastal 300
Dumfries to Kirkcudbright, Dumfries & Galloway
The historic town of Dumfries offers a good starting point for a holiday driving the SWC300. Before setting off, why not take a stroll about the town, which is closely associated with Scotland’s bard, Rabbie Burns.
A walk of 4.5 miles in Dumfries follows in the footsteps ofthe famous poet along the banks of the River Nith and through the town centre.Other attractions to visit includeRobert Burns’ House and Dumfries Museum.
From Dumfries, the SWC300 heads south to reach a picturesque village called New Abbey. It is famed for beautiful Sweetheart Abbey, which is now in ruins. It was built in 1273 by the widow of John Balliol, a prominent figure on Scottish history. It’s a peaceful place for a picnic, or enjoy a light meal or snack at the neighbouring café.
The route travels further,joining the Solway Coast with fabulous views. On a fine day you might see asfar as the Lake District. The Solway Firth is the watery border betweenScotland and England.
A short detour at thevillage of Kirkbean reveals one of Scotland’s oldest lighthouses atSoutherness. The views from the top are a lovely but you need to be lucky tofind the building open to the public.
If it is closed, don’t worry, because the SWC300 soon reveals further coastal views as it continues, hugging the coast and passing through Sandyhills with its beautiful beach.
At Colvend, it’s well worthdetouring to Rockcliffe. The superb rocks-and-sand bay is the perfect place fora walk orjust sit and enjoy the view.
The SWC300 continues to Kirkcudbright, where a possible overnight is found a little way on at Solway ViewHolidays. You might like to pop in to visit the 12thcentury Dundrennan Abbey before arriving in Kirkcudbright.
Kirkcudbright sits on the banks of the River Dee and is the only town onthe Solway coast with a working harbour. It’s an pretty town with medieval,Georgian and Victorian buildings. Kirkcudbright became a magnet for Scottishartists in the late 19th century and is now know as The Artists’ Town. Youdiscover plenty of galleries and artist shops to visit.
Section 2: Kirkudbright to Portpatrick
From Kirkudbright, you can follow the quiet and narrow B727 or theA755 to head west on the SWC300.
Both end up joining he A75, a busier rad, asyou skirt to the south of Gatehouse of Fleet. Allow yourself to be diverted bytourist signs for
attractions such as Laggan Outdoor activity centre or Creetown Gem Rock Museum.
The landscape grows morerural and luscious green fields, like plumped up duvets, roll and billowtowards a shoreline of pebble beaches and a turquoise sea.
Heading towards NewtonStewart, the SWC300 route takes a turn south again and on to what is known asthe Machars Peninsula.
A little further on,Wigtown, Scotland’s book town, is a popular stop off place, especially if youenjoy browsing traditional book shops. There are plenty of cafes, too.
Close to Wigtown is anotherpopular attractions, the ghoulish soundingMartyr’s Stake.
Journeying by campervanfurther south the views are of lowlands farmland and shoreline as you headtowards the intriguing Isle of Whithorn. Strangely, despite its name, thepicture-postcard sea port harbour settlement is no long an island after acauseway was built in the late 18th century. It is also the location of the ruined 13th century Saint Ninian’s Chapel.
Nearby is the village of Whithorn, where St Ninian built a priory that is now acclaimedas the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland.
At another harbour, Port William, I there is adelightful statue of a man at his leaning post looking out across moody LuceBay. It’s surely a perfect place to rest for eternity.
The South West Coastal 300 rounds on to anotherpeninsula called the Rhins of Galloway. The coastline is sublime with rugged headlandsand sandy bays lapped by the sea.
Eventually, the route joins a single-track tarmacroad going south to the Mull of Galloway. On the west side of the narrowstretch of land are steep cliffs and inlets of crashing waves, while to theeast, the landscape is softer landscape with many sandy beaches.
The Robert Louis Stevenson-designedlighthouse, the most southerly in Scotland, was completed in 1830 and sits atopa 260ft high cliff. It feels perfectly wild and far-flung and as the sun beginsto set the drama of this location is accentuated.
To reach Portpatrick, you must make the returnjourney north on the Rhins – the views are as beautiful heading north and theyare going south – where you might chooseto stop for a night.
The peninsula is also home to Logan BotanicGarden, which is well worth a visit if you have time.
Portpatrick is a lovely harbour town withpastel-coloured houses, a wide bay and a backdrop of low cliffs.
Section 3: Portpatrick to Sanquhar
Continuing in a clockwise direction, the SWC300leave Portpatrick to travel the west coast from Dumfries & Galloway toSouth Ayrshire. Before leaving the tourist town you might like to take a walk on a stunning clifftop path to Dunskey Castle.
It would be easy to rush north along the A77,imaging that the only attraction is the omnipresent view of the island of AislaCraig. It is a mesmerising sight in the Firth of Clyde but there is so muchmore to this coastline.
It’s fun to follow the direction of a few such astowards the beautiful beaches, of Ballintrae, Girvan, Maidens (past TrumpTurnberry) and Dunure.
Historic Culzean Castle is positioned on top ofhigh cliffs along this coastline. The National Trust for Scotland propertywould easily provide entertainment for a half day. Alternatively, you and enjoya coastal view of the castle from the shoreline by visiting Croy Shore andwalking along the beach towards Culzean.
Another interesting place to visit is the Varyag memorial, at Lendalfoot, which honours those that died when the Russian cruiser sank nearby in 1920. Meanwhile, the “gravity hill” Electric Brae is acclaimed for its mystery. A freewheeling vehicle will appear to be drawn uphill on this road, a section of the A719, by some strange attraction.
If you are travelling as afamily, the Heads of Ayr Farm Park is a must-visit.
Heading further north thelandscape becomes increasingly rugged with high hills on one side of the roadand a sandy-rocky shoreline on the other. The SWC300 sends drivers east justbefore reaching the town of Ayr, although you might like to visit the seasidetown and enjoy the various shops and tourism attractions here.
More attractions arededicated to Rabbie Burns at Alloway, which was the poet’s birthplace. It wouldbe easily possible to spend a day delving deep into the poet’s life and works,with visits to Burns Cottage and Burns BirthplaceMuseum.
The rest of this sectionprovides a rewarding drive through glorious rolling hills and moors and intothe Galloway Forest Park, the largest in Britain. Two beautiful conservationvillages, Kirkmichael and Straiton, arrive one after the other.
Straiton would also make agreat base for a day or two of walking or just an hour or so. There are fiveshort walking trails that start and finish in the village.
A hike from Straiton climbsto a hilltop obelisk memorial, dedicated to Lt Col James Hunter Blair.
The village of Dalmellingtonis reached via the B741. It is a former centre for weaving and mining but isnow better known for the nearby Scottish Dark Sky Observatory, located on afantastic hilltop setting on the edge of the Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park.
A good overnight spot might be Sanquhar andnearby.
Section 4: Sanquhar to Dumfries
The SWC300 returns to Dumfries& Galloway at Sanquhar. The historic townboasts theworld’s oldest post office. A sign reveals the PO dates back to 1712.
Sanquharis also famous for the Sanquhar Pattern, a world-famous geometric-style ofknitting pattern.
There is a host of places tovisit nearby, too, including Crawick Multiverse, the art project by the landscape architect and designer CharlesJencks, and Wanlockhead, which claims the title of Scotland’s highest village.
The SWC300 heads into theLowther hills to Wanlockhead and also to nearby Leadhills. Both are famed fortheir mining heritage, including gold and lead, and a small museum is worth avisit.
Wanlockhead is the highestvillage in Scotland at 1531ft above sea level. It seem remarkable that avillage in southern Scotland claims this title.
In the summer, Leadhills & Wanlockhead Railway volunteers runBritain’s highest narrow gauge adhesion railway,reaching 1,498ft abovesea level.
The SWC300 route descends though a superb remote-feeling road with rounded grassy hills to reach Elvanfoot, where the road turns south to follow the recently born River Clyde.
The drive is along amazinglyempty roads, the B7076 and then the B719 and A701, that run mostly parallel tothe motorway, to reach Moffat.
The historic spa town ofMoffat is a popular place for tourists with a number of places to visitincluding Moffat Toffee Shop, cafes, independent shops and a museum.
The route continues on theA701 to rejoin the B7076 heading south for Lockerbie. The large town is, ofcourse, known to most people for the Pan Am flight disaster in 1988 when a bombexploded bringing down the plane and killing all passengers and crew, as wellas 11 residents.
The disaster is rememberedin a number of ways with stained glass windows in the Town Hall displaying theflags of the countries whose nationals were killed, a Garden of Remembrance andLockerbie Air Disaster Memorial.
From Lockerbie, the SC300turns west heading towards the coast again and heading back towards Dumfries.
Book a campervan hire early
Open Road Scotland has a range of campervans and motorhomes to hire in Scotland and conveniently located close to Glasgow Airport in Central Scotland. If you plan to visit Scotland this summer we recommend you book your hire as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
