South West Coastal 300

The South West Coastal 300 or SWC300 is a road trip route around South West Scotland. Despite its name, half the route is inland, traversing the Southern Uplands. Unlike the other Scottish road trips routes, there's no official start. However, we'll assume the route begins at Cairnryan, where the ferries to Northern Ireland run to and from.

Ayrshire Coast

A77 at Bennane Head

From Cairnryan, the route runs north up the A77 through Girvan to Turnberry, where it follows the A719 Coastal route to Ayr. This road is home to the Electric Brae, where it appears cars roll uphill. However, before reaching Ayr town centre, after crossing the Doon, it turns onto Greenfield Avenue to reach Alloway.

Across the Uplands

The B797 in the Lowther Hills

In Alloway is Burns' Cottage on the B7024, which the route briefly runs past before taking Doonholm Road to the A77, which we take south to the B7045. The B7045 takes us to Straiton, where the route picks up the B741 to New Cumnock.

At New Cumnock, the route heads up the Nith Valley along the A76, before taking the B797 over the Menlock Pass and the B7040 down the valley with Elvan Water. At Elvanfoot the route picks up the A702, crosses the A74(M) and turns south along the B7076. Taking the B719, it diverts to Moffat, before heading down the A701 to cross the A74(M) at Beattock and pick up the B7076 south of the town again. At Lockerbie, we leave the A74(M) corridor, diverting through the town on the B7068 and B723 to pick up the A709 to Dumfries.

Solway Coast

Kirkcudbright Bridge

We skirt Dumfries on the bypass, before heading south through Nithside and Maxwelltown to pick up the A710, which follows the coast to Dalbettie, where the coastal road becomes A711. From Kirkcudbright the B727, A755 and A75 take the route along the coast to Newton Stewart. The A714 takes us through Wigtown, the B7004 and B7063 to the Isle of Whithorn. The B7004, C53w, A747, A75, B7084, A716, B7041 and an unclassified road take the route around Luce Bay to the Mull of Galloway.

From the dead end of the Mull of Galloway, the route u-turns and heads back north along The Rhins along that unclassifed road, B7041, B7065, A716 and B7042 to the A77, which the route takes to Portpatrick. From Portpatrick, the route returns up the A77, taking it to Stranraer. Rather than skirting the edge of the town, it continues north along Dalrymple Street, Hanover Street, Castle Street, Charlotte Street and Port Rodie, before rejoining the A77 towards Cairnryan and our starting point.