Things to do in Dumfries & Galloway
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Caerlaverock Castle
The ruins of Caerlaverock Castle, by Glencaple on a beautiful stretch of the Solway coast, are among the loveliest in Britain. Surrounded by a moat, lawns and stands of trees, the unusual pink-stoned triangular castle looks impregnable. In fact, it fell several times, most famously when it was attacked in 1300 by Edward I: the siege became the subject of an epic poem, ‘The Siege of Caerlaverock’. The current castle dates from the late 13th century but, once defensive purposes were no longer a design necessity, it was refitted as a luxurious Scottish Renaissance mansion house in 1634. Ironically, the rampaging Covenanter militia sacked it a few years later. With nooks and …
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Sweetheart Abbey
The small, picturesque village of New Abbey lies 7 miles south of Dumfries and contains the remains of the 13th-century Cistercian Sweetheart Abbey. The shattered, red-sandstone remnants of the abbey are impressive and stand in stark contrast to the manicured lawns surrounding them. The abbey, the last of the major monasteries to be established in Scotland, was founded by Devorgilla of Galloway in 1273 in honour of her dead husband John Balliol (with whom she had founded Balliol College, Oxford). On his death, she had his heart embalmed and carried it with her until she died 22 years later. She and the heart were buried by the altar – hence the name.
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Cream o’ Galloway
Ideal for families, Cream o’ Galloway has taken off big time. It offers a plethora of activities and events at the home of that delicious ice cream you’ll see around the region. There are 4 miles of nature trails, an adventure playground for all ages, a 3-D maze, wildlife-watching, a farm to explore and plenty of ice cream to taste. Daily events include a farm tour and ice cream tasting, and there are regular special happenings. It’s about 4 miles from Gatehouse off the A75 – signposted all the way. You can also hire bikes from here.
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Threave Castle
Two miles further west of Castle Douglas, Threave Castle is an impressive tower on a small island in the River Dee. Built in the late 14th century, it became a principal stronghold of the Black Douglases. It's now basically a shell, having been badly damaged by the Covenanters in the 1640s, but it's a romantic ruin nonetheless.
It's a 15-minute walk from the car park to the ferry landing, where you ring a bell for the custodian to take you across to the island in a small boat.
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Dumfries House
A Palladian mansion designed in the 1750s by the Adam brothers, Dumfries House is an architectural jewel: such is its preservation that Prince Charles personally intervened to ensure its protection. It contains an extraordinarily well-preserved collection of Chippendale furniture and numerous objets d’art. Visits are by guided tour; you should phone ahead to reserve a space and check tour times. The house is located 13 miles east of Ayr, near Cumnock.
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Samye Ling Tibetan Centre
The Samye Ling Tibetan Centre is the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery built in the West (1968). The colourful prayer flags and the red and gold of the temple itself are a striking contrast to the stark grey and green landscape. You can visit the centre during the day (donation suggested, cafe on site), or stay overnight in simple accommodation which includes full vegetarian board. There are also meditation courses and weekend workshops available.
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L’Aperitif
Purgatory at dinnertime can look uncannily like Stranraer at times, so thank the powers that be for this cheerful local. It’s definitely the town’s best restaurant and is close to being its best pub too. Despite the name, dishes are more Italian than French, with great pastas alongside roasts, saltimbocca, and delicious appetisers featuring things like smoked salmon or greenlip mussels. Early dining (£13.50 for two courses) is lighter on the wallet.
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Castle Kennedy Gardens
Magnificent Castle Kennedy Gardens, 3 miles east of Stranraer, are among the most famous in Scotland. They cover 30 hectares and are set on an isthmus between two lochs and two castles (Castle Kennedy, burnt in 1716, and Lochinch Castle, built in 1864). The landscaping was undertaken in 1730 by the Earl of Stair, who used unoccupied soldiers to do the work. Buses 430 (hourly) and 500 from Stranraer stop here.
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Ruthwell Church
A couple of miles beyond Caerlaverock, in the hamlet of Ruthwell, the church holds one of Europe’s most important early Christian monuments. The 6m-high 7th-century Ruthwell Cross is carved top to bottom in New Testament scenes and is inscribed with a poem called ‘The Dream of the Rood’; written in a Saxon runic alphabet, it’s considered one of the earliest examples of English-language literature.
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Gordon House Hotel
The small, laid-back hotel rooms are in good shape, but they vary a bit, so have a look at a few. No 2 is probably the best of the doubles. You can dine in the restaurant (mains £11 to £13), which serves posh nosh like pan-seared breast of guinea fowl with tarragon and grain mustard, or the lounge bar, and there’s a beer garden for sunny afternoons.
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Tolbooth Art Centre
As well as catering for today's local artists, this centre has an exhibition on the history of the town's artistic development. The place is as interesting for the building itself as for the artistic works on display. It's one of the oldest and best-preserved tollbooths in Scotland and interpretative signboards reveal its past. Extended hours in summer.
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Cavens Arms
Engaging staff, nine real ales on tap, and a warm contented buzz make this a legendary Dumfries pub. Generous portions of typical pub nosh backed up by a long list of more adventurous daily specials make it one of the town’s most enjoyable places to eat too. If you were going to move to Dumfries, you’d make sure you were within a block or two of here.
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Logan Botanic Garden
The mild climate in Scotland is demonstrated at Logan Botanic Garden, a mile north of Port Logan, where an array of subtropical flora includes tree ferns and cabbage palms. The garden is an outpost of the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. Port Logan itself is a sleepy place with a decent pub and excellent sandy beach.
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Globe Inn
A traditional, rickety old nook-and-cranny pub down a narrow wynd off the main pedestrian drag, this was reputedly Burns' favourite watering hole, and scene of one of his numerous seductions. It's got a great atmosphere created by its welcoming locals and staff as much as the numerous pictures of the 'ploughman poet' himself.
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St John's Castle
Worth a quick visit, St John's Castle was built in 1510 by the Adairs of Kihilt, a powerful local family. The old stone cells carry a distinctly musty smell. There are displays and a couple of videos that trace its history and, from the top of the castle, superb views of Loch Ryan and the ferries chugging out to Ireland.
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Broughton House
The 18th-century Broughton House displays paintings by EA Hornel (he lived and worked here), one of the Glasgow Boys group of painters. Behind the house is a lovely Japanese-style garden (also open in February and March). The library with its wood panelling and stone carvings is probably the most impressive room.
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Castle Restaurant
The Castle Restaurant is the best place to eat in town and uses organic produce where possible. It covers a few bases with chicken, beef and seafood dishes on offer as well as tempting morsels for vegetarians. Lunch mains are lighter and cheaper, and there’s a good-value evening two-course offer for £16.
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Galloway Activity Centre
Galloway Activity Centre, on the eastern bank north of Parton village, runs a wide range of activities, and also provides equipment and accommodation. Activities cost £16/26/38 for 1½/three/six hours. There are also walking trails and a rich variety of bird life.
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Mabie Farm Park
Mabie Farm Park is between Dumfries and New Abbey off the A710. There are plenty of animals and activities for kids, including petting and feeding sessions, donkey rides, go-karting, slides, a soft play area, picnic areas…the list goes on – put a full day aside.
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Galloway Wildlife Conservation Park
A mile from Kirkcudbright on the B727, this is an easy walk from town, and you'll see red pandas, wolves, monkeys, kangaroos, Scottish wildcats and many more creatures in a beautiful setting. An important role of the park is the conservation of rare and threatened species.
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Sulwath Brewery
You can see traditional brewing processes at Sulwath Brewery. Admission includes a half-pint of Galloway real ale (tea or coffee is also available). Recommended is the Criffel, an original pale ale, and Knockendoch, a dark brew with a delicious taste of roasted malt.
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Lighthouse
The 26m-high lighthouse, at the Mull of Galloway, was built by Robert Stevenson, grandfather of the writer, in 1826. You can learn more about the Stevenson clan of lighthouse builders in the small exhibition at the lighthouse’s base.
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Waterline
This chain pub across from the tourist office is soulless, but it’s family friendly, close to the ferry and, for Stranraer, is a decent option for a meal or quiet drink. Good-value burgers, baguettes, pasta dishes, curries and pub faves are dished out all day.
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Caerlaverock Wetland Centre
Caerlaverock Wetland Centre protects 546 hectares of salt marsh and mud flats, the habitat for numerous birds, including barnacle geese. There’s free, daily wildlife safaris with experienced rangers and a coffee shop that serves organic food.
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Ellisland Farm
If you're not Burnsed out, you could head 6 miles northwest of town and visit the farm he leased. It still preserves some original features from when he and his family lived here, and there's a small exhibition. It's signposted off the A76 to Kilmarnock.
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