Portpatrick Castles & Gardens

Portpatrick Castles & Gardens

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Portpatrick Castles & Gardens

5 Days Starting and ending in Portpatrick, Scotland

Visiting: Portpatrick, Stranraer, Castle Kennedy Gardens, Galloway Forest Park, Ayrshire Coast, Culzean Castle

Tour operator:

Shearings

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Physical rating:

Low

Trip Styles:

UK tours by Coach

Activities:

Sightseeing, Walking

Tour Overview

Embark on a captivating journey through the enchanting landscapes of Scotland with the "Portpatrick Castles & Gardens" tour. Stay for four nights at the charming 3-star Portpatrick Hotel, your base for exploring the region's rich history and natural beauty. Begin with a visit to Stranraer, where the castle of St John and waterfront views await. Discover the world-renowned Castle Kennedy Gardens, famed for their stunning rhododendrons and magnolias. Enjoy a leisurely day in Portpatrick or opt for a scenic drive through Galloway Forest Park, home to rolling glens and majestic red deer. Experience the grandeur of Culzean Castle along the Ayrshire Coast, with its opulent interiors and breathtaking gardens. This tour offers a perfect blend of relaxation and exploration, showcasing the best of Scotland's castles and gardens.

Highlights

  • Visit the Castle Kennedy Gardens, renowned for their rhododendrons and magnolias.

  • Explore Stranraer, with its waterfront views of Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Arran.

  • Enjoy a day at leisure in Portpatrick, with options for a cliff-top walk along the Southern Upland Way.

  • Take a scenic drive through Galloway Forest Park, with opportunities to spot Red Deer.

  • Travel along the Ayrshire Coast to the opulent Culzean Castle, with its splendid gardens and parkland.

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1

Location: Portpatrick

Accommodation Name: Portpatrick Hotel

Meals Included: Dinner

Local departure by coach or Home Connect service, then to the Portpatrick Hotel, Portpatrick for four nights.

Day 2 Castle Kennedy Gardens and Stranraer

Location: Stranraer, Castle Kennedy Gardens

Accommodation Name: Portpatrick Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Excursion starting with a visit to Stranraer. Once a busy ferry port, enjoy a stroll along the waterfront where on a clear day you'll enjoy spectacular views of Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Arran. The town centre is dominated by the castle of St John, with many pavement cafés lining the streets.

We continue to Castle Kennedy Gardens which flank the shattered, ivy-clad remains of a medieval fortress, and are world-famous for their spectacular collection of rhododendrons and magnolias.

Day 3 Day at leisure or Galloway Forest Park

Location: Portpatrick, Galloway Forest Park

Accommodation Name: Portpatrick Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Relax with a day at leisure in Portpatrick. Take a stroll into the quiet town, or perhaps take a cliff-top walk along the Southern Upland Way to enjoy views of the spectacular coastline.

Alternatively, join our optional excursion to Galloway Forest Park, where we take a scenic drive to admire the views of the rolling glens and hills and lochs and mountains.

You might be lucky enough to spot some Red Deer.

Day 4 Ayrshire Coast and Culzean Castle

Location: Ayrshire Coast, Culzean Castle

Accommodation Name: Portpatrick Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Travel along the beautiful Ayrshire Coast to visit magnificent Culzean Castle.


This impressive hill-top estate is opulent to the extreme, with spectacular gardens, splendid parkland and a sandy coastline which is dotted with caves. The castle itself is full to the turrets with treasures that tell the stories of the people who have lived there.

Day 5

Location: Portpatrick

Meals Included: Breakfast

Return home.

What's Included

  • Local Departure by Coach

    The tour includes a local departure by coach or Home Connect service to the Portpatrick Hotel.

  • Visit to Stranraer

    The tour includes an excursion to Stranraer, where you can enjoy a stroll along the waterfront and views of Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Arran.

  • Castle Kennedy Gardens

    The tour includes a visit to Castle Kennedy Gardens, known for their spectacular collection of rhododendrons and magnolias.

  • Ayrshire Coast and Culzean Castle

    The tour includes travel along the Ayrshire Coast to visit the magnificent Culzean Castle with its opulent estate and gardens.

What's Not Included

Optional Excursion to Galloway Forest Park

The excursion to Galloway Forest Park is optional and not included in the main tour package.

Mode of Transport

Local departure by coach or Home Connect service, then to the Portpatrick Hotel, Portpatrick for four nights.

Accommodation

You will stay for four nights at the 3-star Portpatrick Hotel in Portpatrick.

Check out our Q&As

  • What type of accommodation is provided during the tour?

    You will stay for four nights at the 3-star Portpatrick Hotel in Portpatrick.

  • What can I expect to see at Castle Kennedy Gardens?

    Castle Kennedy Gardens are world-famous for their spectacular collection of rhododendrons and magnolias, and they flank the shattered, ivy-clad remains of a medieval fortress.

  • What activities are available on the day at leisure in Portpatrick?

    You can relax with a day at leisure in Portpatrick, take a stroll into the quiet town, or perhaps take a cliff-top walk along the Southern Upland Way to enjoy views of the spectacular coastline.

  • What is special about Culzean Castle?

    Culzean Castle is an impressive hill-top estate that is opulent to the extreme, with spectacular gardens, splendid parkland, and a sandy coastline dotted with caves. The castle itself is full to the turrets with treasures that tell the stories of the people who have lived there.

  • Is there an optional excursion available during the tour?

    Yes, there is an optional excursion to Galloway Forest Park, where you can take a scenic drive to admire the views of the rolling glens, hills, lochs, and mountains, and you might be lucky enough to spot some Red Deer.

  • Do I have to do the excursions?

    Certain excursions are included in the price of your holiday. If you choose not to go on an included excursion, for whatever reason, no refunds will be made.

  • How much are the optional excursions?

    This depends on which tour you book. Prices are given with the itinerary for the tour and sent out with Travel Documents 5 days before departure.

  • Do I need to have travel insurance?

    If you are a British citizen and are going on a UK holiday, you are not required to have insurance. If you are a non-British citizen and are going on a UK holiday, you are required to have an insurance policy in place or return a signed indemnity form to us prior to travel. For all travellers on European tours, you must either have a travel insurance policy in place or return a signed insurance indemnity form to us prior to travel.

  • Will there be a toilet on-board the coach?

    All main tour coaches have on-board toilets. Transfer vehicles to and from the interchange may not have on-board toilets.

  • Can I pay for the optional excursions when I make my booking?

    Optional excursions can be booked with your coach driver or Tour Manager and operate strictly subject to availability and demand. Some optional excursions are pre-bookable due to demand when making your reservation. The running order of included and optional excursions may be altered without prior notice.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    No, we do not. However, we only ever charge a supplement if a hotelier imposes this charge to us as a company. Single room supplements are a bone of contention within the travel industry and we would like to assure you that we proactively seek accommodation with low or no single room supplements for our guests.

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    You will receive a detailed itinerary alongside travel documents, and these will be sent 5 days prior to travel.

Reviews of this operator

Karen Wylie (Google Reviewer)  

Lovely holiday in weston super...

09-Mar-2024

Lovely holiday in weston super mare. Clean comfortable hotel, good food, very pleasant staff in hotel, interesting visits to Bath and Bristol and a really great driver. Would highly recommend. Good value for money

Matthew Lee (Google Reviewer)  

We really enjoyed our trip...

12-Dec-2023

We really enjoyed our trip to Dusseldorf and Cologne . Kelvin and Olivia were great , we felt very safe and well informed and well looked after throughout. The lads on our feeder coach were great too. Never heard anybody complain at all.

Susan Mullett (Google Reviewer)  

Good trip to Edinburgh, my...

01-Oct-2022

Good trip to Edinburgh, my preference would have been for longer time at the day trips but with a wide age range on the coach I feel the compromise for the comfort of all was paramount. The coach driver was knowledgeable and happy to offer suggestions of places to see and things to do. A star is knocked off for a single supplement being charged on a single room but I accept this could be out of the control of Shearings and down to the hotel.

Jonathan Wilkinson (Google Reviewer)  

Although room was in need...

24-Apr-2024

Although room was in need of refurbishment the Chatsworth at Llandudno was great. Food, staff excellent, especially wee Jess. Trips were too & a pleasure to get to know our driver, Denny, top fella..

Janet Preston (Google Reviewer)  

Very disappointing a very...

25-Nov-2024

Very disappointing a very rushed weekend away drive up to Edinburgh wasn't the best break time were very strange 10,15 minutes and half hour not enough time for 35 people to go toilet and get a hot drink as there wasn't any hot drink making equipment on the coach The trip was a Christmas market weekend well not on our coach no music no decorations we asked lots of times if we could have the radio on but it turned on deaf ears The weather was terrible it snowed and we had not so young people who had a carry hot drinks on the coach Steve our driver was a great driver but he was always rushing if he gave a meeting time say 4pm his next line would be if we can get back earlier than we could go back early it was like this every time we stopped not nice when we paid quite a bit of money for this trip to Edinburgh and Glasgow Christmas market The hotel was very comfortable and the staff were friendly and helpful but the food was cold and tasteless and the menu was a repeat Friday night and Sunday night till everybody complained sorry but the chef should be dismissed very poor menu and poor organisation in the kitchen I don't think we will be using Shearings coach holidays again

Sheila Allder (Google Reviewer)  

Just had a Holiday to...

15-Jun-2024

Just had a Holiday to Weston Super Mare and stayed at The Great Atlantic Hotel. It was OK but the Lift is out of order and not likely to be working any time soon. Food was ok too.The journey was also OK but a bit cramped. Driver was pleasant and the coach changes were efficient.

Steve Mchugh (Google Reviewer)  

I've been trying to cancel...

09-Feb-2025

I've been trying to cancel a trip to Paris in April 25 for months. I literally cancelled less than 14 days after the £1 deposit was taken. This was back on 8th September, I have emailed 3 times spoke to 2 people and both told me it was policy to still charge for a holiday I cancelled!! Today I have proof as they have just tried to steal over £800 from my bank. Luckily I'm with a bank that's up on scams of the £1 deposit ! BEWARE you are handing your bank details over to these people. I am in total shock and been advised to take it further.

Anthony Baines Kimberley (Google Reviewer)  

Went on a coach holiday...

30-May-2024

Went on a coach holiday on 26 April Whit my girlfriend Kim it take 7 hours to get to temby Wales stop after stop the coach driver was polite is name was Gavin the hotel room was a big problem the food poisoning the hotel 2nd night at the lmperial hotel shearing spoke to the staff next couple of days told use it was don't Absolutely disgrace by them never going on white ther give no free holiday are refund bad experience never again 🙁

Book with Confidence

  • Low Deposit

    Shearings requires a minimum deposit of 75 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of shearings charges.

    Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 42 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.

    At 21 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.

    At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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