Scottish Rural Parliament - Project Visits

• Scottish Rural Parliament 2018 (SRP) - Project Visit Information

Trip One – (Half day) Portpatrick and Crafty Gin Distillery

o 13:10 - Depart Ryan Centre, Stranraer

o 17:00 – Arrive Ryan Centre, Stranraer.

Portpatrick Harbour: Visitors will be greeted by David Telford, the chair of the Portpatrick Community Council, who will give a brief talk about the newly-formed Community Development Trust and past and present projects launched within the local area, including community buy-outs.

Crafty Distillery: An interactive tour from the founders of a newly built distillery, with an impressive viewing opportunity from the café bar which overlooks the Galloway Forest. Owner Graham Taylor, who was locally born and raised, distils and bottles the popular ‘Hills and Harbour’ gin on site, employing and training young locals in the craft. The gin itself consists of locally foraged ingredients, such as pine needles and seaweed, hence the gin’s name incorporating land and sea.

This tour has a limited number of spaces available, and spaces will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Trip Two – (Full day) Round House and The Book Shop

o 09:30 – Depart Ryan Centre, Stranraer

o 16:00 – Arrive Ryan Centre, Stranraer

Whithorn Timescape: Tour of the full-size Iron Age roundhouse from around the 5th Century BC, with expert guide and Development Trust manager, Julie Muir Watt. Local volunteers will be present in full costume, displaying Iron Age practices such as weaving, and explaining how the roundhouse would have been constructed in ancient times.

The Book Shop, Wigtown: Visitors are free to explore Wigtown, or ‘The Book Town’ at their leisure. The town is deemed the book-lover’s haven as it is home to a large range of shops and book-related businesses. Locally-raised and acclaimed author of ‘Diary of a Bookseller’, Shaun Bythell is owner of ‘The Book Shop’ in Wigtown and will provide visitors with a tour and talk of the largest second-hand bookshop in Scotland, which sells over 100,000 books.

This tour has a limited number of spaces available, and spaces will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Trip Three – (Full day) Lighthouse and Botanic Gardens

o 10:00 – Depart Ryan Centre, Stranraer

o 15:45 - Arrive Ryan Centre, Stranraer

Mull of Galloway Experience: This tour will take visitors along a stunning coastal road to the most southerly point of Scotland, the Mull of Galloway. The Trust lets out an outbuilding to the RSPB, which is part of the reserve at Mull of Galloway. Visitors will have the opportunity to follow the Reserve’s circular path and observe a variety of seabirds.

Logan Botanic Gardens: This trip will comprise of a guided tour of the gardens from botanic expert and curator, Richard Baines who will highlight plants from South and Central America, Southern Africa and Australasia that are rarely seen in the UK. The warming influence of the Gulf Stream of the south-western tip of Scotland creates an exotic feel in these extensive and beautiful gardens. Those interested in photography can view an exhibition of Richard’s travels to discover plant life in Asia and elsewhere.

This tour has a limited number of spaces available, and spaces will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Trip Four – (1-2 hours) Town Walk

• 13:30 - 15:00 (An alternative, additional time may be offered if oversubscribed)

Depart from/ return to Ryan Centre, Stranraer

The council officer responsible for the Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme, Pam Taylor and the area’s Economic Development Officer, Michael Rosie will host a tour of the waterfront and discuss regeneration plans of the East Pier and Marina. The ambition for Stranraer focuses on transforming the waterfront to reposition Stranraer and Loch Ryan as a distinctive marine leisure destination. The tour will explain this vision, and showcase the on-going projects, as well as some of the town’s historical features.

This tour has a limited number of spaces available, and spaces will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Contact details

Please note: Due to the restriction of spaces on the project visits we ask that if you are no longer able to attend the project visit, please ensure that you advise Kirsty Crichton on the details below as early as possible, so that the space can be allocated elsewhere.

For any booking, local or logistical questions please contact Kirsty Crichton at the Scottish Rural Network:

Tel: 01312441832

Mobile: 07876863334

Email: kirsty.crichton@ruralnetwork.scot

For any questions regarding the programme please contact Emma Cooper at Scottish Rural Action -

Mobile: 07896 216236

Email: info@sra.scot