The red sandstone bridges arching over the River Nith are the most attractive feature of the town. Devorgilla Bridge (1431) is one of the oldest bridges in Scotland. Built into its southwestern end is the city's oldest extant house.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
29.34 MILES
Carlisle's brooding, rust-red castle lurks on the north side of the city. Founded around a Celtic and Roman stronghold, the castle's Norman keep was added…
23.66 MILES
‘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…
29.69 MILES
The poet William Wordsworth was born on 7 April 1770 at this handsome Georgian house at the end of Main St. Built around 1745, the house has been…
7.38 MILES
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…
9.52 MILES
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…
0.36 MILES
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…
16.56 MILES
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…
3.16 MILES
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…
Nearby Dumfries & Galloway attractions
0.13 MILES
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…
0.2 MILES
This statue at the end of High St features the poet with a dog at his feet.
3. Dumfries Museum & Camera Obscura
0.23 MILES
This museum covers local history and prehistory with a wide range of displays from fossils to farm implements. In the tower is a camera obscura, built in…
0.36 MILES
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…
0.45 MILES
When visiting Robert Burns' mausoleum in the cemetery, it's worth ducking into the squarish 18th-century church, where he used to worship, to admire the…
0.5 MILES
Burns' mausoleum is in the graveyard at St Michael's Kirk. It's in the far corner (ie eastern corner) from the entrance. There’s a grisly account of his…
3.16 MILES
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…
5.4 MILES
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…