Must see attractions in Dumfries & Galloway

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Museum of Lead Mining
‘Lead mining’: even the phrase has a sort of dulling effect on the brain, and you’d think it’d be a tough ask to make the subject interesting. But this…
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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…
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Mull of Galloway
Scotland's southernmost point is a spectacular spot, with windswept green grass and views of Scotland, England, the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland. The…
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Ruthwell Cross
Seven miles east of Caerlaverock Castle, in tiny Ruthwell, a church holds one of Europe’s most important early Christian monuments. The 6m-high 7th…
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Burns House
This is a place of pilgrimage for Burns enthusiasts. It's here that the poet spent the last years of his life, and there are various possessions of his in…
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Castle Kennedy Gardens
Three miles east of Stranraer, these magnificent gardens are among Scotland's most renowned. They cover 30 hectares and are set on an isthmus between two…
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Loch Ken
Stretching for 9 miles northwest of Castle Douglas between the A713 and A762, Loch Ken is a popular outdoor recreational area. The range of water sports…
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Mabie Farm Park
If your kids are complaining about historic sights and Robert Burns, pack up the clan and get down to this spot, between Dumfries and New Abbey off the…
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Broughton House
The 18th-century Broughton House displays paintings by EA Hornel, one of the Glasgow Boys (he lived and worked here). The library, with its wood panelling…
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Logan Botanic Garden
The mild climate in this southwestern part of Scotland is demonstrated at Logan Botanic Garden, a mile north of Port Logan, where an array of subtropical…
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Kagyu Samye Ling
Surrounded by wooded hills, Eskdalemuir is a remote settlement 13 miles northwest of Langholm. About 1.5 miles further north is this, the first Tibetan…
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Threave Castle
Two miles west of Castle Douglas, this impressive tower sits on a small river island. Built in the late 14th century, it became a principal stronghold of…
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Cream o' Galloway
Ideal for families, this offers a plethora of activities and events at the home of that delicious ice cream you’ll see around the region. There are 4…
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Sweetheart Abbey
The shattered red-sandstone remnants of this 13th-century Cistercian abbey stand in stark contrast to the manicured lawns surrounding them. The abbey, the…
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Tolbooth Art Centre
As well as catering for today's local artists and holding a cinema, this centre has an exhibition on the history of the town's artistic development. The…
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Caerlaverock Wetland Centre
This protects 546 hectares of salt marsh and mudflats, the habitat for numerous birds, including barnacle geese. There are various activities, including…
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Ellisland Farm
Six miles northwest of Dumfries, you can visit the farm that Robert Burns leased in 1788 by the River Nith. He had the house built for his family and…
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Kirkcudbright Galleries
This new conversion of the town hall into a shiny new gallery opened just after we last passed by. There's a permanent exhibition on this town's artistic…
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Robert Burns Centre
A worthwhile Burns exhibition in an old mill on the banks of the River Nith; it tells the story of the poet and Dumfries in the 1790s. The optional…
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Mull of Galloway Lighthouse
You can climb the lighthouse at the Mull of Galloway for views over four different political entities: Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and the Isle of…