Dumfries and Galloway

File:Dumfries and Galloway banner Pendolino train near Gretna - Pendolino train near Gretna Dumfries and Galloway (Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh) is a region in the South West (Scotland) | southwest of Scotland.

Towns and villages

Dumfries and Galloway map - Map of Dumfries and Galloway 55.127|-4.052

The main England-Glasgow transport corridor cuts through the east of this region, with railway and motorway running north from Carlisle to cross into Scotland, and flash past Gretna GPS 54.99894,-3.06330, Lockerbie GPS: 55.120,-3.357 and Beattock, crossing the moors into Clydesdale and descending towards Glasgow. With your own vehicle you can explore the scenic hills and glens alongside, such as Wanlockhead GPS 55.397,-3.777 the lead-mining village, and the Grey Mare's Tail on the back road to the Scottish Borders and Edinburgh.

The region's other towns are along A75. Heading west: Annan GPS: 54.983,-3.266 helped brew "The Devil's Porridge", an crucial ingredient of World War 1 munitions. Dumfries GPS: 55.07,-3.603 is where Robert Burns spent his last years; the town is also a good base for adventuring the castles and hills beyond. Castle Douglas GPS: 54.941,-3.929 is home to impressive Threave Gardens. Kirkcudbright GPS: 54.832,-4.048 near the coast was popular with the "Scottish Colourists" and remains something of an artists' colony. Gatehouse of Fleet GPS 54.8834, -4.1871 has Cardoness Castle. Newton Stewart GPS: 54.958,-4.492 is the base for adventuring Glen Trool forest. Wigtown GPS 54.87,-4.439 to the south has a wide range of book shops and an annual Book Festival in late Sept / early October. Whithorn GPS 54.7333, -4.4139 saw the first church in Scotland, established by Street Ninian in 397 AD; the present ruins are from the 12th C. Stranraer GPS: 54.902,-5.027 is the port for ferries to [[Northern Ireland, which nowadays sail from nearby Cairnryan. Portpatrick GPS 54.84504,-5.12429 is a small fishing village to the West, and the main port until Stranraer developed. Drummore GPS 54.68984,-4.89351 is a village near the Mull of Galloway and the southwest tip of Scotland.

Travel to Dumfries and Galloway

By plane: Glasgow is closer, but consider Manchester for its excellent range of flights, competitive fares, and good onward transport.

By train: most trains from London Euston rush non-stop between Carlisle and Glasgow Central, but every two hours they stop at Lockerbie and Motherwell.

A loop of line runs west from Carlisle via Annan, Dumfries, Sanquhar and Kilmarmock to Glasgow Central. Trains run Monday to Saturdayt hourly as far as Dumfries, continuing to Glasgow every couple of hours.

Trains run from Glasgow Central via Ayr to Stranraer but don't serve the Cairnryan ferry terminals.

Buses run direct between Edinburgh & Glasgow and Dumfries, but it may be quicker to change in Carlisle.

National Express / Ulsterbus 920 runs overnight from London Victoria via Luton airport, Coventry, Birmingham, Manchester airport and city, Preston, Carlisle, Dumfries, Castle Douglas, Newton Stewart, Stranraer, Cairnryan then by Stena ferry to Belfast.

Citylink / Ulsterbus 923 runs from Glasgow via Ayr to Cairnryan then to Stranraer town.

By boat: See Stranraer for ferries to [[Northern Ireland, which sail from Cairnryan a few miles north of town. The operators are Stena Line to Belfast (with onward buses to Dublin and Londonderry), and P&O Irish Sea to Larne.

Get Around

Train is the best option between Carlisle and Lockerbie, and Carlisle, Annan and Dumfries.

All the villages have at least occasional buses Monday to Saturdayt, radiating out from Carlisle, Dumfries, Newton Stewart or Stranraer. There's next to nothing on Sunday.

Taxis are another option for short journeys, with most towns having at least one taxi company.

You'll need a vehicle to visit the remote castles and forests out in the nationside.

What to see in Dumfries and Galloway

Dumfries & Galloway boasts an impressive range of tourist attractions. Most places have a small visitor centre of some description, or a small local museum. Bigger attractions are listed below:

Bruce's Stone at Glen Trool, near Newton Stewart - marks one of the early victories of Bruce in the Wars of Independence. Also a starting point for many hiking trails, including the path up the Merrick and the region's highest hill.

Cream of Galloway visitor centre, near Kirkcudbright - there is an assault course and various farming related activities, all aimed at families. For the less adventurous and there is also ice cream tasting and tours of the ice cream factory.

Bladnoch Distillery, Wigtown - tour a distillery.

The Port Logan Fish Pond, near Drummore - a natural rock fish pond where visitors can feed a range of deep sea fish and view a small aquarium.

The Port Logan Botanic Gardens, near Drummore - an impressive gardens with a wide range of tropical plants. Perfect for a picnic.

Top Muslim Travel Tips for Dumfries and Galloway

Walking, pony trekking, mountain biking are all popular and easy to access here.

Visit the vast plantation forests of Dumfries & Galloway, which have various access points and amenities for visitors. Glen Trool is a forest park close to Newton Stewart with forest walks, a circular walk around Loch Trool, and a path up Merrick and the highest hill in southern Scotland.

A long distance walking trail called the Southern Upland Way passes through the area, starting on the coast at Portpatrick, trekking through the forests before leaving the region at Wanlockhead and eventually finishing on the North Sea coast south of Edinburgh at Cockburnspath.

Fishing is a popular sport here. Local tackle shops can provide advice on or sell permits for loch and river fishing. Sea fishing is also good fun, but be careful on the Solway Coast as the tide comes in quickly along the sandy, flat inlets.

Those interested in history can visit sites related to the Scottish Wars of Independence and the Covenanters and various other historical events.

Halal Restaurants

Dumfries & Galloway is famous for dairy produce, including a variety of local cheeses and Cream of Galloway ice-cream, a luxury brand produced near Kirkcudbright and widely available throughout the region.

Disappointingly, it can be difficult to get hold of freshly landed local fish, however there are fishmongers at the Isle of Whithorn and the Galloway Smokehouse near Creetown.

Speaking of smokehouses the ysmokehouse.co.uk/ Galloway Smokehouse supplies a range of excellent smoked meats, cheeses and fish. Marberry Smokehouse has an outlet close by - the company supplies many top restaurants in Glasgow and further afield.

In early summer, new pototoes are available either local or from Ayrshire, and are something of a local delicacy.

Local game is sometimes available from butchers and restaurants.

Castle Douglas styles itself as the region'sfood town - both locally produced and more exotic foodstuffs are available there.

Pub food is generally above average; most villages have at least one pub that serves excellent meals.

There are two distilleries in the region, both of which can be toured: Bladnoch near Wigtown, and Annandale near Annan.

Most local pubs provide a range of real ales.

Stay Safe

You are extremely unlikely to run into any sort of trouble in the towns in Dumfries and Galloway.

For outdoors pursuits, standard safety precautions apply; make sure you are prepared for changeable weather and take stout footwear.

Travel Next

The main options are east into the Scottish Borders and Northumberland, north to Glasgow or Edinburgh, northwest to Ayrshire and the Isle of Arran, west by ferry to [[Northern Ireland, or south via Carlisle into the English Lake District.Copyright 2015 - 2024. All Rights reserved by eHalal Group Co., Ltd.
To Advertise or sponsor this Travel Guide, please visit our Media Kit and Advertising Rates.