Stranraer
Stranraer 
Stranraer is a town in the south of Scotland, in the west of Dumfries and Galloway, and in the county of Wigtownshire. It is best known as a ferry port connecting Scotland with Belfast in Northern Ireland. It is the largest settlement in this part of Scotland, and 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. History Stranraer dates back nearly 500 years, to the construction in 1511 of Stranraer Castle, also known as the Castle of St John. This now stands in the centre of 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. By 1600, it had become the market town for western Wigtownshire. At about this time Stranraer was reached by a military road built from Dumfries to allow easier access to Portpatrick for transportation to Ireland. The first harbour in Stranraer was built in the mid 1700s, with further port development in the 1820s. The arrival of the railway from Dumfries in 1861 finally established Stranraer as the area’s main port. In 1862, the line was extended to serve the harbour directly, and a link to Portpatrick was also opened. Sometime later, a rail connection north to Girvan was established. Stranraer remained the main Scottish port for the Irish ferries for the next 150 years. Stranraer and its surrounding area saw a significant amount of activity during World War II, as it became a focus for anti U-boat work. Flying boats operated from the area in an attempt to secure the waters of the North Channel and the south western coast of Scotland. Almost all of Britain’s shipping imports passed through these two areas en-route to the Clyde or the Mersey. What to See & Do in Stranraer