Stranraer is a town in the south of Scotland in the west of the region of Dumfries and Galloway and was formerly in the county of Wigtownshire. It lies on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhinns of Galloway to the mainland.
It was only in the mid 1700s that a harbour was first built in Stranraer itself, and further port development took place in the 1820s. But it was the coming of the railway from Dumfries in 1861 which finally established Stranraer as the area's main port.
For much of the following 150 years Stranraer was unchallenged as the natural location for the main Scottish port for the Irish ferries. Roll-on roll-off ferries appeared on the Irish routes well ahead of elsewhere in the UK.
Transportation in Stranraer
By Car: From the South follow the M6/A74 past Carlisle to Gretna, & then take the A75 west directly to Stranraer.
From the North, Stranraer is reached by following the A77 Coast Road from Ayr.
By Train: Regular services run to Glasgow from where national connections can be made. Scottish Rail services are run by First Scotrail.
By Coach: Express Coach Services operate from Stranraer to Ayr, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Carlisle, Preston, Birmingham, Manchester and London.
By Ferry: The ferry port of Stranraer is located on the southern edge of Loch Ryan in the south west of Scotland, at the mouth of the River Wyre and is the main ferry port linking Scotland and Northern Ireland. Stranraer ferry port terminal is operated by Stena Line, and offers excellent facilities and services to both passenger & freight customers. Ferries depart from the east pier of the terminal while the fast Stena HSS Stranraer to Belfast Catamarans leave from the western pier.
Stranraer is the largest settlement in south west Scotland. It lies at the head of Loch Ryan, on the north side of the neck of land that prevents the Rhins of Galloway becoming an island.
The town's origins date back nearly 500 years to the building in 1511 of Stranraer Castle, also known as the Castle of St John. This now stands in the centre of the town, but it was originally built behind the broad beach at the head of Loch Ryan. Only later did a settlement begin to grow around it. The Castle of St John now houses a museum.
Stranraer has rather more going for it than usually gets mentioned in the guide books. The town centre is surprisingly attractive and bustling, and while it helps to see it on a sunny day, the whites and bright colours of many of the buildings make it brighter in any light.
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