Cairnryan is a small village overlooking Lochryan and is notable today for its large modern ferry port, operated by P&O, which links Scotland with Larne in Northern Ireland. The village has been of vital importance in maritime history.

During the Second World War, Cairnryan became No.2 Military Port, and three harbour piers and a military railway linking the village with nearby Stranraer were built by the army.

Thousands of troops were based locally in military camps. At the end of the war the Atlantic U-Boat fleet surrendered in Lochryan and were anchored here before being towed to sea and sunk.

For a period after the war the port was used to load superfluous ammunition onto barges for dumping at sea - a hazardous task, which took the lives of several.

Ship breaking became the main industry; the great aircraft carriers Centaur, Eagle and most famously the Ark Royal were all sent here for decommissioning. As recently as 1990, Russian submarines have been dismantled here for scrap.

More information on Cairnryan's military heritage has been published by the Stranraer and District Local History Trust.

Find out where to stay and eat in Cairnryan

(Based on material provided by the Cairnryan Community Council.)