Garlieston

Today's the day ................... for a secret past

A beautiful day to head westwards and explore a bit of the Solway Coast.

We visited the little port of Garlieston, founded in the mid 18th century by Lord Garlies who later became the 6th Earl of Galloway.  The port became an important import point for goods being brought into the area, known as The Machars throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1876 an extension of the Wigtownshire Railway aided the process - and led to a thriving shipbuilding trade.

During the Second World War, the village became part of the secret Mulberry Harbours Project in preparation for the D-Day landings. The profile of the beach and sea bed at Garlieston was similar to that of the proposed harbour sites in Normandy and that, coupled with the remote nature of the locality, led to Garlieston and the surrounding area being selected for the development of the artificial harbours.

Today the port was very quiet with no hint of that part of its history, with the calm water glinting in the sunshine ......................