unruly

Three days into my walk along the Rhins of Galloway coast path and I was on love-hate terms with this new long-distance trail. Unruly and at times cruel, it forced me to hurdle fences, wade through bracken up to my midriff and teased me with disappearing paths and wayward waymarks.

But then, after I’d yelled profanities into the wind (there were no other hikers around to hear me), this raffishly handsome route would come over all sweetness and light. Look, it would simper: a dazzling and deserted white-sand bay! A ravishing spray of orchids! A crinkle of rocky foreshore be-flumped with seals! Once, moments after I’d cursed my way through a patch of Scottish jungle, a hare leapt from the sward just as a ruddy fox barred my way, a deer herd pronked down the cliffside and a buzzard mewed overhead; I felt like a sweaty Snow White summoning all the creatures at once, only by swearing rather than singing.

“We toyed with whether to call it a ‘path’ or a ‘trail’,” said Bryan Scott, Dumfries and Galloway council’s countryside development officer and route creator. After my solo jaunt on the path/trail’s north and western stages, we were hiking a gentler south-east section together.

Is there an official difference, I asked? “Well, no, but people think ‘path’ means there’s going to be some kind of a yellow brick road.”

I can confirm there is no such thing around the Rhins of Galloway, the striking hammerhead peninsula at the edge of the edge of south-west Scotland. But there is an admirable almost-realised vision and a lot of potential.

Southern Scotland sees a fraction of the tourists that head to the country’s lionised north: in 2024, there were 1.8m overnight visits to the Highlands and just 520,000 to Dumfries and Galloway – and I’d wager most of those don’t make it out to the Rhins. “No doubt about it,” one taxi driver told me, “this is the land that time forgot.” It was clear the area could do with a boost; creating an 83-mile, six-stage coast path around the Rhins is part of the plan.

“One of the aims was to give people a reason to stay longer,” Scott told me as we advanced along the high clifftops to the Mull of Galloway, Scotland’s southernmost point, where a Stevenson lighthouse stands sentry over the waves. The path is designed to improve access to this untamed, overlooked stretch of coast, which, as well as more lighthouses, features ancient promontory forts, RSPB reserves, ruined castles, spectacular beaches and exotic gardens (the Gulf Stream makes this one of Scotland’s warmest spots). The problem is, Dumfries and Galloway has more than 1,100 miles of core paths that need looking after, with a team of only five to do it.

I’ve been following the progress of the Rhins coast path for a while, drawn to the idea of circumnavigating what is essentially an island that no one seems to visit. This year – its “soft launch”, I was told – seemed the right time.

I started on Stranraer harbour, under the smart arch of corten steel marking the circular path’s beginning and end, using a GPX file of the route on my OS Maps app. From there I walked north, along the exposed shores of Loch Ryan, picking between oystercatchers and whimbrels, the alien blobs of barrel jellyfish, shaggy piles of bladderwrack and a crunchy scatter of shells. Somewhere under the loch’s blue lay Scotland’s last native oyster beds; during the second world war they were joined by surrendered U-boats, stowed here before being scuttled at sea. This area was strategically vital at that time, with parts of the D-day Mulberry harbour tested here, while flying boats, used to protect Allied shipping, were based on the headland known as the Wig.

The going from Stranraer around the north of the Rhins was generally good. Highlights of the 13½ miles included military history, intriguing strandline, flower-flecked tussock and the remains of iron age settlements with views to Ailsa Craig and the isle of Arran beyond. Still, I was excited to finally see day’s end in the distance: lonely Corsewall lighthouse. Erected in 1815, the tower still protects ships in these frothy waters, but the old keepers’ quarters are now a hotel.

John and Helen Harris welcomed me in. As well as running the place – “quite the challenge, in a good way, 99% of the time …” – they’re also among the volunteers helping to look after the coast path, cutting back overgrowth and reporting problems. They’re starting to get a few more walkers staying, they told me, and have compiled a folder of local rambles for guests not tramping the whole trail.

I could see the attraction of basing myself here for nice day walks: I’ve stayed in few more atmospheric spots, and the five-course dinner concocted by Helen’s son Richard in the teeny kitchen was ridiculously good. Before leaving the next morning, we had a quick chat about what lay ahead. Helen reckoned I’d already done the coast path’s toughest stage; John’s expression told me I had not.

John was right. The following two days – Corsewall to the pretty harbour village of Portpatrick, then Portpatrick to Port Logan’s wide, sandy sweep, around 15 miles each – were mettle-testing stuff. But also a proper adventure. I walked amid the sheep-grazed ruins of a wartime radar station to reach moaning seals. I accidentally annoyed a peregrine falcon, which spent a good 10 minutes shrieking above my head. I bounded across hills, high above the serrated rocky shore; at one point, I mistakenly dropped down to the sea, then followed in the hoof-prints of a flock of feral goats to get back up again.

I also picnicked on beaches I couldn’t believe I had all to myself – shingly Salt Pans Bay, where salt was harvested from the 1640s, and awesome Ardwell Bay, a curve of turquoise-lapped gold. In the late 19th century a former clown called William Purves lived in one of the caves here. I could see why.

On the first of these two tough days, for the final miles from Killantringan lighthouse to Portpatrick, the coast path falls in step with a section of the Southern Upland Way, which ultimately makes for Cockburnspath, on the east coast. This is one of Scotland’s official Great Trails, and the difference was stark: regular waymarks; an obvious track; I even met a volunteer hacking back the overgrowth. But, then, this trail was launched 40 years ago – evidence of what can be achieved.

Some of this will probably have been achieved by the time you read this. At the end of my trip, at the Mull of Galloway’s Gallie Craig cafe, Irish Sea swirling outside, Scott took on all my feedback. He’s since rewalked the trail, and a slew of new work is afoot to negotiate fences, increase signage, build a bridge and trim unruly plants. Improvement works should be completed by spring 2026. Yes, the Rhins of Galloway coast path is a little raw, but stick with it: I have high hopes it’ll mature very well.

The trip was supported by the South of Scotland Destination Alliance. Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel has doubles from £175 B&B; five-course dinner £49.50pp excluding drinks. For trail info, see dgtrails.org

The National Police is getting serious about unruly behaviour on the islands best known for debauchery, heavy drinking and drug taking

Hundreds of extra police officers have been sent in to deal with unruly partygoers on five Spanish island resorts.

The National Police is getting serious about unruly behaviour on islands best known for debauchery, heavy drinking and drug taking. The force bolstered its ranks in the Balearics by 4.33%, on top of reinforcement of around 300 officers as part of the special Operation Summer measures.

A further 163 officers will be transferred to other locations in response to the Balearic Police Headquarters’ commitment to improve public safety during the peak tourist season. Palma, Ibiza, Maó, Ciutadella, and Manacor will all see their ranks bolstered by extra officers, Majorca Daily Bulletin reported.

This year’s reinforcement represents a significant increase compared to 2024, especially in terms of new recruits. A total of 130 trainee police officers are being sent in across the island, tasked with patrolling the sunshine islands and guarding the borders.

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The special Operation Summer officers, some of whom are sent out with dog units, are brought in to control the swollen population of the Balearic Islands during the holiday seasons.

Islands such as Palma and Ibiza are huge draws for party people from across the world. As much as this serves as a massive boost to the local economies and has cemented their reputations as the centre of worldwide nightclub culture, locals are growing increasingly tired of criminality linked to an industry so closely connected to the drug trade.

The boosted police ranks will also help enforce a series of anti-social behaviour-related laws that have been legislated in recent years in a bid to control the impact of holidaymakers.

In May 2024, the government of the Balearic Islands banned on-street drinking and the sale of alcohol in supermarkets between 9:30pm and 8am in party hotspots including including San Antonio in Ibiza, and Playa de Palma and Magaluf in Majorca. Potential fines for those caught breaking these rules have risen from between €500 and €1,500 (£430 – £1290) to as much as €3,100 (£2,580).

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The bolstering of the police force comes after a string of high profile incidents involving Brits heading out to the party islands.

TikTok influencer Erika Barrachina travelled from London Luton to the Balearic Island with Easyjet. During her journey, she found herself amidst passengers who were “screaming” and “hitting each other”.

She vented: “My trip yesterday London – Ibiza with easyJet was a real horror! I was scared, a plane full of real English animals! We don’t want this type of tourism in Ibiza, they should stay at home!”

Days before the incident, Spanish police had to raid a Ryanair flight after five passengers reportedly wreaked havoc mid-flight on a trip from Newcastle to Alicante. The mayhem unfolded aboard the Boeing 737 service departing from Newcastle International Airport bound for Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport.

The disturbance was severe enough to warrant authorities boarding the plane once it touched down. The captain was granted urgent clearance to land due to the passengers’ disorderly conduct.

An EasyJet spokesperson said at the time: “Flight EZY2307 from Luton to Ibiza on 16th May was met by police on arrival due to a group of passengers behaving in a disruptive manner. EasyJet’s cabin crew are trained to assess all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers is not compromised at any time.

“While such incidents are rare, we take them very seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behaviour onboard. The safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew is always easyJet’s highest priority.”

Do you have a story to tell us? Email us at [email protected].

Stag dos have a rowdy reputation, and it appears the hard-drinking Brits have returned with a vengeance following the pandemic, with European cities now cracking down

Stag do hotspots are witnessing a rowdy resurgence of booze-fuelled Brits but cities are now clamping down on disorderly visitors after numbers spiked again.

While many of the go-to destinations in Europe got some respite during and after the pandemic, the amount of tourists heading over for a good time are on the up – and with it comes problems for locals. Now, some cities are fighting back as they look to restore order again.

“The bachelor parties dropped off sharply during Covid and now they are picking up again,” Budapest tour guide Daniel Seres divulged to The Telegraph, discussing the popular Hungarian destination. “We need the income from tourists, but these big party groups only go on the free guided city tours [rather than paid], and they keep locals awake as they sing, stumble around and are sick on the streets.”

Budapest has battled the disruption, banning “beer bikes” in 2017 over noise and safety issues. Come 2020, steps were taken to rein in the red light district, and by 2023, District VII escalated fines for noisy nights and indecent acts, distributing English leaflets at airports alerting tourists of the heftier penalties. That year also saw the power granted to establishments to reject bookings from large groups.

But it’s not just Budapest that’s tightening the reins; six additional European destinations have had their fill of misbehaving stag groups, reports the Express.

Amsterdam

In 2023, the Dutch capital banned boozy guided tours and cannabis smoking in its infamous Red Light District. In the same year, Amsterdam also launched its “Stay Away” digital campaign targeting young British men with warnings about fines and arrests. Restrictions were also introduced on short-term rentals and alcohol sales during specific hours.

Barcelona

The Spanish city’s actions against undesirable tourists include strict enforcement of noise and behaviour fines, cracking down on unlicensed party promoters and short-term rental properties, and implementing tighter restrictions on public drinking.

Prague

The iconic Czech city of Prague has also prohibited “beer bikes”, increased police presence in central areas and discouraged promotions related to sex tourism and stag parties, including stag tours.

Krakow

The Polish city of Krakow has strictly regulated advertisements for strip clubs and “gentlemen’s entertainment” and is discussing stricter curbs on alcohol sales. Smoking has also been restricted to designated areas in some venues.

Lisbon

Actions include tightening regulations on short-term rentals, particularly in popular nightlife districts like Bairro Alto and Alfama, and increasing police patrols on weekends.

Dublin

Many hotels and venues in the Irish capital have adopted policies to refuse bookings for stag and hen parties. Targeted messaging also promotes “cultural” tourism over alcohol-fueled excursions.