WEEKEND ON THE SOLWAY COAST
he Solway Coast lies at the very beginning of Scotland, as you travel from the south. As Carlisle and The Lakes make way for Dumfries and Galloway, the first bit of coastline you reach belongs to Solway. Within a relatively small area there’s a wide variety of landscapes, from rocky cliffs and sheltered inlets to coastal towns at river mouths, such as my base for the weekend at Kippford. Once dubbed the Scottish Riviera, the Solway Coast attracted a refined visitor in its heyday and its heritage of ‘being a bit different’ lives on. As many of Scotland’s modern holidaymakers bypass the area on the motorway en route to the Highlands and Islands, those who ‘turn left at Carlisle’, as the tourist board’s slogan once read, are rewarded with an unspoilt beauty that is quiet and peaceful for much of the year. Due to its tranquillity, artists, sailors and creative folk are still attracted to its shores – there’s a strong
