Portling Bay

Bay in Kirkcudbrightshire

Scotland

Portling Bay

Reed bed Not the most popular part of this wonderful bay, by virtue of the sticky, muddy substrate which is sufficiently rarely covered by the tide to support a significant bed of reeds which are just coming into flower. — Reed bed Credit: Jonathan Wilkins

Portling Bay is a picturesque coastal area located in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. Situated along the Solway Firth, the bay offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape and is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers.

The bay is characterized by its sandy beaches, rocky cliffs, and crystal-clear waters. It is known for its tranquility and unspoiled natural beauty, attracting visitors looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The bay is also home to a diverse range of wildlife, including seabirds, seals, and occasionally dolphins.

Portling Bay is a haven for water sports enthusiasts, with activities such as kayaking, sailing, and windsurfing being popular choices among visitors. The bay is also a great spot for fishing, with a variety of fish species inhabiting its waters.

For those who prefer land-based activities, Portling Bay offers scenic coastal walks and hiking trails that provide breathtaking views of the bay and its surroundings. The area is dotted with charming villages and historical landmarks, making it an ideal destination for exploring the local culture and heritage.

In terms of amenities, Portling Bay offers limited facilities, including a small car park and public toilets. However, nearby towns such as Kirkcudbright provide additional services, including accommodation, restaurants, and shops.

Overall, Portling Bay in Kirkcudbrightshire is a hidden gem on Scotland's coastline, offering visitors a peaceful and idyllic retreat with its natural beauty, outdoor activities, and rich wildlife.

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Portling Bay Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 54.86847/-3.739991 or Grid Reference NX8854. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Reed bed

Not the most popular part of this wonderful bay, by virtue of the sticky, muddy substrate which is sufficiently rarely covered by the tide to support a significant bed of reeds which are just coming into flower.

Jonathan Wilkins

Dry channel

Water drains off the sands rapidly as the tide falls, causing deep channels to form. The channel, now dried-out completely, shows a wonderful collection of intricate bedforms indicative of flowing water and sediment transport. A sedimentologist's dream?

Jonathan Wilkins

Barnhourie Burn outlet

The wide, shallow outlet of the burn at low tide.

Jonathan Wilkins

Outflow channel

Water flowing out from the Barnhourie burn on the vast inter-tidal plain. The topography is much more complex than the map suggests!

Jonathan Wilkins

Erratic boulder shore

The strip above the normal tide level is strewn with very pleasing, rounded glacial erratic boulders. Their concentration at the two extremities of the shore at Sandyhills Bay is surprising.

Jonathan Wilkins

Red granite vein

Grey rocks which are sedimentary in origin are intruded here by a wide vein of reddened granite. The contrast is very pleasing.

Jonathan Wilkins

Piper's Cove

A fabulous cove, in which one wall shows how red granite intrusion has followed the structure of the folded rocks which it has forced its way into.

Jonathan Wilkins

Sea-washed rocks

Rock outcrop on the upper shore comprising red-coloured granite amid grey coloured sedimentary strata. Salt-making was apparently practised on the shore until the 18th century.

Jonathan Wilkins

Tilted strata

Strata belonging to the Ross Formation (Silurian, Wenlock) are standing almost vertical on the cliffs here.

Jonathan Wilkins

Sea stacks at Brandy Cove

Fabulous sea-stacks and rugged coast which is well on the way to producing more!

Jonathan Wilkins

Needle's Eye

A fabulous natural arch formed by failure of the rocks and erosion at sea level. What is particularly satisfying is that the fault responsible for the failure is clearly visible, running slightly obliquely up the cliff above the crown of the arch.

Jonathan Wilkins

Fault failure

Erosion of the cliff is proceeding where the presence of a fault plane has created weakness in the rocks. A nice cave is developing at the tide mark.

Jonathan Wilkins

Ripples and mirage

Quite by accident I succeeded in capturing a classic mirage by kneeling for this shot of the rippled sand running out from the coast, apparently without end. The distant promontory of Southerness appears to float above the horizon. My assistant Tegid is the other feature on the horizon, stretching his legs at a gallop.

Jonathan Wilkins

Carboniferous strata

Rocks on the shore to the south of Portling are much younger than those forming the adjacent cliffs which run along the coast. It is immediately obvious that they are not steeply inclined, and in fact they are unconformable with the immediately adjacent Silurian strata (see NX8954 : Tilted strata for a good contrasting example) and post-date the continental collision responsible for the deformation of the older rocks. Sadly, it is not possible to see the older and younger rocks anywhere in contact, and generally here a steeply-inclined fault separates them. See also NX8853 : Carboniferous strata 2 for another view of the Carboniferous rocks.

Jonathan Wilkins

Carboniferous strata 2

The rocks here, of Carboniferous (Arundian to Holkerian) age are the Rascarrel Member of the Fell Sandstone Formation. The beds are of sandstone and conglomerate, which include angular clasts of granite and other igneous material eroded from the exposed granite pluton nearby, indicating rapid uplift on the faults which run along its margin to form a faulted unconformity on the norther margin of the Upper Palaeozoic Solway Basin. See also NX8853 : Carboniferous strata.

Jonathan Wilkins

Portling shore

Looking from the intertidal sands to the houses on the Portling Shore. I was impressed by the sky that had developed.

Jonathan Wilkins

Lichens on sandstone

Still in the splash zone, these rocks bear a fantastic community of lichens including Caloplaca, Ramalina and Ochrolechia. What a fabulous garden!

Jonathan Wilkins

Sandyhills east end

The eastern end of the shore at Sandyhills is showing distinct signs of erosive action, with granite boulders and tree roots in the sand - but still a fabulous place to be on the hottest September day in Scotland since 1906. Eventually we were forced to find shade!

Jonathan Wilkins

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Portling Bay is located at Grid Ref: NX8854 (Lat: 54.86847, Lng: -3.739991)

Unitary Authority: Dumfries and Galloway

Police Authority: Dumfries and Galloway