Useful Links
Bainloch Deer Park
Situated adjacent to Barend, in a forest overlooking the Solway Coast, Bainloch Deer Park is nestled in the small Scottish village of Sandyhills near Dalbeattie.For more information follow the link www.bainlochdeerpark.com
Dumfries & Galloway
Information on Dumfries and Galloway www.visitsouthwestscotland.com
Dalbeattie
Dalbeattie and District. On the Scottish coast of the Solway Firth, in the heart of the attractive countryside some 12 miles west of Dumfries, Dalbeattie is the shopping and amenity centre for the very popular Colvend Coast and Urr Estuary holiday areas. www.dalbeattie.net
Castle Douglas
The community website for Castle Douglas locals, businesses and visitors. Castle Douglas is a small market town in Dumfries and Galloway, it is both a beautiful and quiet region of South West Scotland the ideal place to explore, stay and eat. www.castledouglas.net
Castle Douglas
With approximately fifty local businesses involved in either producing or selling food and drink, it is easy to see why Castle Douglas has been designated a Food Town. www.cd-foodtown.org
Kirkcudbright Summer Festivities
As one of Scotland's most popular holiday spots it is no surprise that a programme of summer festivities and events has been provided for almost 40 years. www.summerfestivities.com
The Cocoa Bean Company - The Chocolate Factory
Make your own chocolate creations. Chocolate making workshops for kids aged 2 and up (no booking necessary. Caf - Chocolate Workshops - Chocolate Shop. www.thecocoabeancompany.com
Cream O' Galloway Visitor Centre
Fill your day with fun and flavour with a trip to Cream o' Galloway Visitor Centre.There's action and adventure with our adrenaline pumping slides, pedal karts, bikes, our unique woodland adventure playground and indoor play areas. You can explore the nature trails, do some wildlife spotting in our hide or take part in one of our special wildlife events. There's a designated dog walk where your canine friends can run free and walkers with dogs under control are welcome on the green or purple waymarked nature trails. There are events taking place every day at Cream o' Galloway and lots of special events that run at particular times of the year, such as Meet the Lambs in Spring or Pond Dipping in Summer. Our most popular events are the Farm Tour and the Ice Cream Experience which are available each day we are open.www.creamogalloway.co.uk
Robert Burns House
Burns Street, Dumfries DG1 2PS It was in this ordinary sandstone building that Robert Burns, Scotland's national poet, spent the last years of his brilliant life. Now a place of pilgrimage for Burns enthusiasts from around the world, the house retains much of its eighteenth century character and contains many relics of the poet. There is the chair in which he wrote his last poems, many original letters and manuscripts, and the famous Kilmarnock and Edinburgh editions of his work. www.ukattraction.com/southern-scotland/burns-house.htm
National Museum of Costume
Follow fashion and social etiquette from the 1870s to the 1950 at the National Museum of Costume. Explore the delightful grounds, have a picnic or try your luck at croquet on the lawn? Indoors, get seduced by the romance of the Marriage in the Movies exhibition, featuring beautiful wedding dresses from the silver screen. www.nms.ac.uk/our_museums
Sweetheart Abbey
Sweetheart Abbey was founded in 1273 by Lady Devorgilla of Galloway in memory of her husband John Balliol. On her death, she was laid to rest next to her husband's embalmed heart and the monks named their abbey in memory of her. It is a beautiful, graceful ruin. The beautiful abbey church of St Mary the Virgin survives almost entire, a lasting testament to the monastic ideal that was of such pivotal importance in the Middle Ages. (By contrast, the monks' cloister to the south has almost entirely gone.) www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Colvend Golf Club
Our local golf course - !8 holes in a beautiful setting, with wonderful views, just half a mile to walk or drive to the club house. They are always welcoming and this year are offering a £90 weekly ticket for visitors. There are many other golf courses within a short drive.
www.colvendgolfclub.co.uk
Dalbeattie Matters
This is a community website for YOU, the people of Dalbeattie and surrounding area, to enable you to access information and to let you know what is going on in the town. It is also for YOU to give us news and items to be included. www.dalbeattiematters.co.uk
Kirkcudbright
Established as a Royal Burgh in 1455, Kirkcudbright has always been supported by a busy fishing trade. Behind the harbour the streets have housed generations of creative artists, a tradition maintained today by a flourishing colony of painters and craftworkers. www.kirkcudbright.co.uk
Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival
Visitors will have the chance to enjoy, for the first time here, yet more top class and highly professional artistes, as well as some old favourites, ensuring that this festival cateers for jazz loovers of all ages who appreciate quality as well as variety for their entertainment. www.kirkcudbrightjazzfestival.co.uk
Spring Fling
Welcome to Spring Fling, Scotland's premiere open studios event. We are currently hard at work putting together the programme for Spring Fling 2010, which will run from 29 to 31 May. www.spring-fling.co.uk
Keith Kirk's Natural History
If you have never been to this part of Scotland, you don't know what you're missing. Everything you think that Scotland has to offer in one small area. www.dumfriesandgallowaynaturalhistory.co.uk and www.dumfriesandgallowaywildlife.co.uk
Caerlaverock Castle
With its moat, twin towered gatehouse and imposing battlements, Caerlaverock Castle is the epitome of the medieval stronghold. The castle's turbulent history owes much to its proximity to England which brought it into border conflicts. Visitors can enjoy a siege warfare exhibition, a children's adventure park and a nature trail. The shop features a range of local products made in Dumfries and Galloway. www.historic-scotland.gov.uk.co.uk
The Stewartry Museum
St Mary Street, Kirkcudbright DG6 4AG This 1879 museum tells the story of the town. www.dumfriesmuseum.demon.co.uk/stewmuse.htm
Drumlanrig Castle and The Scottish Cycle Museum at Drumlanrig
The magnificent 'Pink Palace' of Drumlanrig is one of the finest examples of late 17th century Renaissance architecture in Scotland. Constructed from distinctive pink sandstone, the first Duke of Queensberry, William Douglas, had the Castle built on the site of an ancient Douglas stronghold overlooking the breathtaking Nith Valley. Today, Drumlanrig Castle is the majestic Dumfriesshire family home to the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry. It is also home to part of the internationally renowned Buccleuch Art Collection featuring such treasures as Rembrandt's The Old Woman Reading as well as many other fine paintings, tapestries and objects d'art. Grand reception rooms, magnificent staircases and ornate period features sit happily beside cosy parlours and the Stableyard, now housing the Stableyard Studios and Stableyard Caf. In 1839 Drumlanrig blacksmith, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, rode 60 miles to Glasgow on the first ever bicycle, one he invented. So it is entirely appropriate that today you can discover down to the last detail the history of this fascinating machine at The Scottish Bike Museum. The Scottish Cycle Museum, situated within the Stableyard, houses a superb collection of interesting bicycles ranging from a replica of Macmillan's original, an 1868 velocipede, a number of Victorian tricycles and penny farthings, some early safety bicycles, a 1912 Dursley Pederson alongside the mountain bike as we know it today. www.drumlanrig.com
Dumfries
The Dumfries and Galloway web site contains a host of information about Dumfries, Dumfriesshire and Galloway and links to web sites throughout south west Scotland. www.dumfries-and-galloway.co.uk
Wigtown Book Festival
Wigtown, Scotland's National Book Town, is a book lover's haven. With over quarter of a million books to choose from, old and new, it is impossible to escape empty handed. www.wigtownbookfestival.com
Gatehouse of Fleet
A warm welcome awaits you in Gatehouse of Fleet in the middle of a National Scenic Area on the edge of the magnificent Galloway Forest Park in the rural heart of Dumfries and Galloway. www.gatehouse-of-fleet.co.uk
Dark Skies
Forestry Commission Scotland has established part of Galloway Forest Park as the first Dark Sky Park in the UK, the result of some 15 months of work pulling together audits, controls and readings from around the forest park. www.forestry.gov.uk
Fishing on the River Annan
Contains details of all the fishing available on the river Produced with the kind cooperation of the owners and angling clubs on the River Annan in Dumfriesshire, Southern Scotland www.riverannan.co.uk
Fishing on the River Nith
The River Nith in Dumfries & Galloway in the Southwest of Scotland offers an excellent choice of angling for Salmon, Sea Trout & Trout www.rivernithfishings.co.uk
Bladnoch Distillery - Spirit of the Lowlands
Scotland's most southerly distillery nestles on the green banks of the River Bladnoch, from which it takes its name. Located in this beautifully remote area of Galloway, the distillery has been producing the "Spirit of the Lowlands" since 1817. The cluster of slate roofed stone buildings hold the promise of sights and smells that have enticed visitors to Scotland for many years. Wander through warehouses steeped in the atmosphere of sleeping whisky. Experience the noise and steam of the Mash House. Inhale the heady vapours of the Tun Room. Soaring copper stills await you as you enter the Still House to watch the spirit flow like liquid crystal through the spirit safe. Meander through the distillery gardens and make your way to the Dramming Room to enjoy a dram of Bladnoch's finest single malt whisky and appreciate our little corner of heaven here in Galloway. Distillery Shop offers an unsurpassed selection of Bladnoch Whisky as well as a huge variety of Scottish gifts, glassware, jewellery and woollens. www.bladnoch.co.uk
John Paul Jones
The traditional Scottish cottage in the grounds of Arbigland in which John Paul Jones was born in 1747. Exhibition on the life of "The Father of the American Navy". Video in the reconstructed cabin of jones' ship "Bonnhomme Richard". Museum shop, picnic area, good coach parking. 13 miles south-west of Dumfries off A710.www.dumfriesmuseum.demon.co.uk/jpj.html
Threave Castle
On an island in the River Dee stands Threave Castle, a massive 14th century tower built by Archibald the Grim, Lord of Galloway. Only accessible by the ferry boat. The stronghold of the Black Douglases, it has at its base an artillery fortification built before 1455 when James II besieged the castle. www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Threave House and Gardens
This Scottish Baronial-style house, located only a mile from Castle Douglas, commands superb views over the magnificent gardens and surrounding estate, owned in the 14th century by the Black Douglas family and now a renowned wildlife habitat. Spectacular gardens, beautiful house and superb Visitor Centre William Gordon, a successful Liverpool businessman, bought the estate in 1867, and built the impressive sandstone house that dominates the 64-acre garden. Today Threave is famous for its spectacular gardens, beautiful house and superb www.nts.org.uk
Dumfries House
One of Britain's most beautiful stately homes and best kept heritage secrets.With its sumptuous interiors and magnificent furnishings, all set in two thousand acres of land, there is something to delight and enchant visitors of all ages. Built between 1754 and 1759 for the 5th Earl of Dumfries, and with a unique collection of Chippendale furniture, the House has been described as an 18th century time-capsule since the principal rooms and their contents have remained virtually unchanged for 250 years. In 2007, HRH Prince Charles headed a consortium that purchased the House to keep it accessible to the public. It is located in Cumnock and visits must be booked in advance. www.dumfries-house.org.uk