I love visiting lighthouses and the one at the Mull of Galloway is special because it's at Scotland's most southerly point. This lighthouse is also open to visitors, which is not always possible at other lighthouses. Here, you can climb the lighthouse steps for spectacular views. You can also enjoy a refreshment in Scotland's most southerly cafe. Mull of Galloway is about 22 miles from Stranraer.
Getting there
I did this as a day trip from Portpatrick, around 23 miles from the Mull of Galloway lighthouse. Portpatrick is pretty straightforward to reach using a train to Stranraer, followed by a 7 mile cycle. All the details are on my Portpatrick blog.
The first 16 miles of the route is described in my cycling to Logan Botanic Garden blog. From Logan Botanic Garden I took the B7065 to reach the lighthouse. It starts off as a 2 lane road, but 5 miles or so from the lighthouse it becomes single-track with passing places. 
Views over fields to the sea from the road towards the Mull of Galloway
Farms and sea
A large part of this route is farming land with views out to the sea. The road was quiet to begin with, but got busier with cars the closer I got to the lighthouse. It's not a surprise as this is one of the most popular things to visit in this area.
The road heading to the Mull of Galloway
The coastal views become very impressive, with cliffs and the gleaming white lighthouse.
Cliff top scenery near the Mull of Galloway lighthouse
There's a lot of good walking here and I spent some time exploring on foot. I headed to Lagvag Point, the furthest south point of Scotland, looking towards the Isle of Man.
From here you might be lucky to witness the Nine Tides. It's caused by tidal rips after low tide. There is a local legend that 9 witches caused the tides in an attempt to shipwreck a witchfinder coming over from Ireland. 
Scotland's most southerly point, Lagvag Point,
The Foghorn
I took the steps down to the foghorn. It's been here since 1894 and operated until 1987, when sea visibility dropped below 4 miles. The foghorn was restored in 2018 and on Sundays you may be able to hear its blasts, when its turned on specifically for visitors. It's the only operational foghorn on mainland Scotland.
Steps down to the foghorn
The lighthouse was built in 1830 and is 26 metres high. A lighthouse keeper, 2 assistants and their families lived here until the lighthouse was automated in 1988. It is now operated remotely from Edinburgh.
Designed and built by Robert Stevenson, the famous Scottish engineer. The Stevenson family built most of Scotland's lighthouses. The tower was not open during my visit, but you can usually climb the steps for views over to Ireland, England and the Isle of Man.
The white paint on the Mull of Galloway lighthouse is perfect
The engine room houses an exhibition about the lighthouse. You can find out all about the history of the lighthouse. The engines are turned on for visitors during occasional demonstrations.
Engine room in Mull of Galloway lighthouse
Scotland's most southerly cafe
The cafe is in a separate building with a turf roof, so that it blends in with the landscape. The windows and outdoor patio provide amazing views. You can get breakfast, sandwiches, burgers, salads and more. I enjoyed a good coffee and slice of banoffee pie.
Returning via Scotland's southermost village
Drummore, Scotland's most southerly village
I made my way back to Portpatrick using a different route. I left the lighthouse at 5pm and this turned out to be an ideal time for getting the A716 coastal road mostly to myself. I went through Drummore, the most southerly village in Scotland.
The shop in Drummore is Scotland's southernmost store
Where to next?
During my trip to the Mull of Galloway I explored:
Other lighthouse experiences
My favourite lighthouse experience in Scotland was cycling to the Mull of Kintyre lighthouse. It's even more remote than the Mull of Galloway and you cannot visit the lighthouse, but the journey to get there is spectacular. In fact, the lack of visitors made this more of a memorable experience for me.
The journey to the Cap Wrath lighthouse is another unforgettable experience. There's a museum of Scottish Lighthouses in Fraserburgh.
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