Introduction Laggantalluch Head is a mixed area of granite sea-cliffs south of Stranraer, on the coast of the North Channel near the Mull of Galloway. It is widely regarded as the best of the sea cliffs in the southwest. This page was compiled by John Biggar, a professional Mountaineering Instructor and member of the AMI, who lives in SW Scotland. Contact me if you want to know more about climbing in Galloway or want to learn how to climb or abseil. This page was compiled with care, but it is not guaranteed error free.
Access The crags are mostly tidal, with all routes accessible at low tide, but many routes are still accessible at high tide and some are completely on dry land. To get here follow the A77 or A75 towards Stranraer then the A716 down the east shore of the Rhinns to Drummore village. From here follow the B7041 then an unnamed minor road westwards to Portencorkrie Bay. A wee track runs down to the shore between Knockenculie and Barncorkrie farms. Just before the derelict cottage cut across two fields to the north, rising slightly to reach a fence line running north about 60m above sea level (marked on the 1:25,000 map). When the fence turns to the right leave it and go diagonally down the slope to reach the top of the main cliff. 15-20 minutes from the road to reach the crags You can also follow the shore round from the cottage, but it's much rougher walking.
Guidebook For a definitive list of all the climbs at Laggantalluch Head see the SMC published Lowland Outcrops guidebook.
Dangers This is a granite sea cliff with generally good rock, but areas of dubious rock do exist on the bigger cliffs. Almost all the routes require abseil approaches, so are very serious in nature and can be difficult to locate. Many routes are quite difficult to protect as the granite can be very compact. This is a very open stretch of coast so the crag will be hazardous in big seas or high winds and the area is very open to rapid weather changes.
Main Cliff
The climbs at Laggantalluch detailed here are described from south to north, starting with the Main Cliff.
The main cliff has routes to 50m on the big slab on the right, and to 25m or so on the steep walls and fins to the left. There is a nice grassy area at the top. Approach the routes by abseil, the landing platform is above all but the highest tide lines. Not pictured is 1. Stepped Corner, VD, which is just left of Escape Route. To the right of the abseil line the classic line here is 4. Laggantalluch Corner, HVS 5a, pictured below.
To the right again is the main slab, often with poor protection.
Climbing Stingray on the main slab at Laggantalluch. This is pretty much the longest route at Laggantalluch, 55m with no real option to belay half-way.... make sure your second knows how to prussik!
Lunch Bay
Immediately north of the main cliff is Lunch Bay, with a number of routes on a south facing wall. Access by scrambling carefully down the easy slab from above the abseil point for the Main Cliff.
Island Walls
This is probably the least serious area of Laggantalluch and a good introduction to the area. The climbs are on two steep walls up to 10m high directly opposite the long low island (pinnacle?) just north of the main cliff. Walk along the cliffs until above the island, then walk straight down towards it. There are some nice grassy bays at the top of the cliffs for dumping gear. There are two walls, split by a broad gully. You can access some of the more northerly routes by descending this gully (enter it by a sub-gully on the S side) or walking down a sloping ramp at the far north end. Most of the southerly routes require an abseil to a minute platform.
Routes north of the gully are shown on the diagram above. The Blind Man, HS 4c, has a very awkward mantelshelf followed by a greasy groove, Good Morning Ladies, VS 5a takes the deceptively hard L to R sloping diagonal crack, then Flying Arête, VD, ** takes the crack up the broad rib at the S end of the northern wall, finishing with a spectacular move L into the top corner laybacking the arête. Beyond Flying Arête is the broad ascent/descent gully, an "Easy" scramble.
The routes on the south wall are generally better, but impossible to photo. First is A Plaice by the Sea, HS 4b, ** the only one readily accessible by the descent gully. It takes the diagonal crack to a square ledge then the very steep corner above. The remaining routes really require an abseil approach, or a committing traverse from the foot of "A Plaice..." at about Severe... next up are two routes on the nice wall R of A Plaice by the Sea, Skating VD, * and Bouillabaisse, S *, then Little Feat, VS 4c, ** takes the central corner, often damp. Finally Fish Tales HS 4b * takes a short diagonal crack to join the long R to L flake line of The Fish Ladder VD which comes in from the extreme R.
Foaming Hoodlum Area
The hard initial moves on Quick Seal, E3, at Laggantalluch, Galloway. You can also see the abseil line.
