South West Scotland Attractions
The yachting village of Kippford is 1/4 mile, 15 – 20 min stroll away and embraces a yacht club and two hotels serving excellent food and a gift shop with tea room with its breathtaking view over the estuary and Rough Island an accessible bird sanctuary owned by the Scottish National Trust.
Kippford Community Nature Reserve is a short stroll away. Comprising 48 acres of open land. Paths have been created in the lower field, a main circular path 1.8m wide suitable for all walkers, buggies and wheelchairs. The main path has several benches to rest and enjoy the area.
Ernespie Farm – Busy Bees soft play offers a two level soft play experience for children of all ages, including slides, ball pools and lots more. Outdoor activities ranging from tractor rides, woodland walks, bouncy cushions, climbing frames, animal feeding and tractor driving around the miniature farm. A particular highlight is the combine which once was used to cut corn on the farm which has been custom made into a fun slide for all to play on.
Mountain Bike Hire – Gorsebank provides fishing, equestrian and horse facilities, as well as mountain bike and cycle hire.
Castle Kennedy Gardens – Part of Stair Estates, located in the South West corner of Scotland. This part of Scotland is surrounded on three sides by the sea, and the influence of the Gulf Stream provides a micro climate not found in many other parts of the United Kingdom
Westlands Activity Centre – Westlands is situated near Gretna Green in Dumfries and Galloway, South West Scotland. Easily accessible from the Borders, Carlisle and Cumbria. Facilities include Quad-biking, Clay Shooting and outdoor play areas. Ideal for all the family.
Mobile Blokarting Scotland – Blast around the beach using purely the power of the wind! Southerness, near Dumfries is our main base. Its long, sandy stretch of beach is perfect for its S or SW winds. Not too far away are a fantastic golf course, self-catering cottages and Bed and Breakfasts overlooking the coast. The beach is approx 30mins from Dumfries.
Galloway Wildlife Conservation Park – Galloway Wildlife Conservation Park set in 27 acres of mixed
woodland, is the wild animal conservation centre of southern Scotland. Open from 1st February to 30th November. 10am to dusk daily (last admission 6.00pm)
Dino Park at Hetland Garden Centre – Come to Scotland and witness the sights and sounds of the age of the dinosaurs at Dino Park – The Dinosaur Park and come face to face with dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus Rex – The kids will love it!
www.visitsouthwestscotland.com
Castle Douglas, South West Scotland
The region’s “Food Town” is a short drive away where you can enjoy local produce in a wonderful market town atmosphere. Dalbeattie is also a local town for provisioning during your stay. www.dalbeattie.net
One food attraction is the Cocoa Bean Company at Twynholm where the family can find out all about making chocolate and take part in chocolate-making workshops.
Further into Galloway at Gatehouse of Fleet is the home of Cream O’ Galloway Ice Cream – Cream o’ Galloway’s delicious organic Fairtrade dairy ice cream & frozen smoothies are available throughout the UK and there are activities for the whole family at the visitor centre from March to November.
To the east of Dumfries at Clarencefield is Drummuir Farm Ice Cream making ice cream from their own herd of dairy cows. There are indoor and outdoor play areas for children so family visits are welcome here too.
With views of the estuary and the outer bay and the National Trust for Scotland bird sanctuary on Rough Island
Activities:
- Fishing: Private loch enquire at Kippford holiday Park,Rough Firth, Trout and Salmon;
- Golf: 9 hole – Craigieknowes, 100 yards from the Lodge;18 hole – Colvend, 3 miles away
- Deer Park Tour: experience deer and local wildlife and enjoy the visitor centre café at Bainloch Deer Park, Sandyhills
- Dark Sky stargazing at Galloway Forest Park– Forestry Commission Scotland has established part of Galloway Forest Park as the first Dark Sky Park in the UK. More info at Dark Sky Scotland.
- Boats: Trips available at Kippford and Kirkcudbright Yacht Club at Kippford; Sailing courses available at Loch Ken, 18 miles
- Riding: Pony trekking and riding lessons at Barend Sandyhills, approx 4 miles away
- Walks: South West Scotland, miles and miles of forest trails; forest trails at nearby Rockliffe; Coastal Walks from Kippford; Regular local buses for return if necessary. Kippford forest walks.
- Beaches: Sandy beach at Sandyhills, 3 miles
- Dumfries and District Gliding Club – Soaring in the Southwest of Scotland
- Red Kite Feeding – the local RSPB group in Dumfries and Galloway has meetings and activites, including feeding Red Kites at special feeding stations
- Otter’s Pool: on Raiders Road in New Galloway
- Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum: The restored Control Tower of the former WWII airfield at Dumfries, Scotland is the centrepiece of the Museum and is now a listed building. The Museum is run by volunteers and houses a large and ever expanding aircraft collection, aero engines and a very impressive display of artefacts and personal histories relating to aviation, past and present. Both civil and military are represented. There is also a small, but ever expanding collection of memorabilia honouring airborne forces, a new display representing aviation in Scotland and a mock-up of a WWII living room are now complete.
- Hestan Island – Hestan is a small island situated just off the Dumfries an Galloway coast in Scotland. It sits at the mouth of the Urr
Estuary in the Solway Firth.
Scotland Vacations and Golf Courses – Full service Scotland vacation and golf coordination. We cater to your needs in providing a complete vacation and golfing experience.
Mountain Biking/Cycling:
7 Stanes cycle course – Log Cabin is close to three ‘Stanes’ of Scotland’s mountain biking heaven – with Dalbeattie and Mabie on the doorstep, Ae approximately 45 mins drive, and Newcastleton, Glentrool and Kirroughtree approximately 60-90mins drive away.
The 7 Stanes are easily accessible from the central belt. Ae is 45 mins from Glasgow and all the Stanes are within 3-4 hours drive from the major cities in the North of England. Other routes start 200 yards from Lochanview’s exclusive site and are generally off the public roads. They encompass easier, shorter routes (<5 miles), technically advanced routes (forest and hill trails) and signposted road routes
- Galloway Sailing Centre Loch Ken – sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, climbing, zip wire and leap of faith, archery, mountain biking, outdoor laser quest and more.
- Family Days: Mabie Farm Park is an all weather park next to Mabie Forest and has many attractions and activities for the family, including quad bikes, sledging, go karts, boating pond, and the animal paddock.
Where to Eat:
The Steamboat Inn – Situated directly on the Solway coast, the Steamboat Inn has spectacular views in all directions, with Criffel as a backdrop, you can also see across to Cumbria and the Lake District. An ideal place to relax and unwind, with al-fresco dining available.
Steakhouse – Carrutherstown
Glenisle Inn – Palnackie
Anchor Hotel – Kippford
The Nith Hotel – Glencaple
The Mariner – Kippford
Abbey Cottage Tearoom – New Abbey
History and Monuments
Buittle Tower and Tournament Venue, 4 miles (archaeological dig)
Gardens of Threave and Arbigland – all within 20 mins drive
Drumlanrig Castle – all beyond 20 mins drive
Casa Mia Restaurant – European high cuisine on the banks of the River Nith in Dumfries.
http://www.dgaccommodation.co.uk/ – search Dumfries and Galloway Accommodation
Self catering holiday cottage accommodation across Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Dumfries and Galloway Visitors Guide
Dalscone Farm
Dalscone is a family fun farm located in Dumfries, Scotland, with a huge indoor play area and outdoor play equipment.
The Rock-ford Files – Notes from two Scottish Coastal villages: a taste of life in and around Rockcliffe and Kippford on the Scottish Riviera, South West Scotland.
South West Scotland, Colvend Coast boasts sand and shell and pebble beaches.
We even have a hill to climb
Criffel. It is 570m high. With its new path from New Abbey it will take 2.5 – 3 hours to get to the top
