Tour
Nithsdale and The Galloway Hills
Tranquillity
abounds along the beautiful Nith and its neighbouring valleys,
hemmed in by the gentle Galloway Hills and the Solway Firth.
The Firth brings a soothing climate to an area where passions
once raged--both the fierce passion of clan battles, and
the romantic passion of ballad poets. Immortalised in stone
are St John the Baptist's chair and the Twelve Apostles.
Arbigland
Rhododendrons,
azaleas and camellias in formal and water gar-dens with
Torbay-like climate. John Paul Jones's Cottage was 1747
birthplace of United States' first naval commander.
Auchencairn
Bay
Pebble
beaches become acres of sand at low tide. Smugglers built
18th-century Balcary House, hotel 2 miles south-east of
Auchencairn village to store contraband. Foot-path beyond
bay through woods, farmland and rocky shore leads to spectacular
cliffs.
Blowplain
Open Farm
Guided
tours show day-to-day life on stock-rearing hill farm set
in rolling countryside.
Broughton
House
Museum
and art gallery in elegant Georgian mansion with sheltered
gardens on River Dee. Library has 15,000 books and manuscripts.
Cairnholy
Facade
of tall standing stones flanks entrance of larger of two
Stone Age burial mounds 200yds apart dating from 3000 BC.
Cardoness
Castle
This
well-preserved 15th-century tower house still has original
stair-way and vaulted basement.
Castle
Douglas
Bronze
Age crannogs (artificial islands) among islets of Carling
walk Loch on southern edge of 18th-century weaving and carpet-making
centre. Main street has steeple-like clock tower.
Cauldside
Burn
At
head of Cauldside Burn are Bronze Age remains of two cairns,
two stone circles and large carved stone block. Larger circle,
70ft across, has ten standing stones.
Dalbeattie
Forest
walks start from outskirts of silvery-grey granite town
in rolling countryside.
Drumlanrig
Castle
Pink-sandstone
stately home, 17th century, has art collection as well as
personal possessions of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Wooded parkland
overlooks upper Nithsdale and old stables now house visitor
and craft centre.
Dumfries
Former
seaport where Robert Burns lived before his death in1796.
House contains personal possessions. Robert Burns Centre
recalls his years in Dumfries and his mausoleum is in St
Michael's churchyard. Mid Steeple was built in 1707 as courthouse
and prison. Bridge dating from 15th century is oldest of
five across River Nith, and 18th-century windmill contains
camera obscura and local history museum.
Dundrennan
Abbey
Handsome
and substantial Cister-clan ruin, founded 1142, where Mary,
Queen of Scots spent last night in Scotland, 1568. Murdered
bishop and his assassin among many fine memorials.
Durisdeer
Dukes
of Queensberry mausoleum in 17th-century Durisdeer Church.
Monument to second duke (d. 1711) and his duchess (d. 1709)
has them reclining beneath columns and flying cherubs.
Ellisland
Farm
Farmhouse,
built by Robert Burns when he took farm over in 1788, contains
museum room. The Granary houses display showing Burns as
farmer. Riverside walk. Burns wrote Tam o'Shanter here.
Fleet
Forest Trails
Footpaths
and marked walks through oak, ash, beech and sycamore woods.
Gatehouse
of Fleet
Former
cotton town is now walking and holiday centre on banks of
Water of Fleet. Original gatehouse now houses whitewashed
wine bar and Bobbin Mill Visitor Centre displays local history
and recalls 18th-century prosperity as cotton town.
Kippford
Village,
once smugglers' haunt, now sailing resort, home of Solway
Yacht Club. Houses are mixture of old fishermen's cottages
and modern bungalows and villas. Low-tide walk from pebble
beach to Rough Island bird sanctuary -- home of waders,
scaups, shelducks and mergansers. Jubilee Path has views
to distant Galloway mountains.
Kirkbean
Unusual
domed parish church of well-kept village has 1826 sundial
telling times in such places as Madras, Calcutta and Gibraltar.
Font presented by United States Navy in 1945 to honour its
first naval commander John Paul Jones who was baptised here.
Kirkpatrick
Durham
Orderly
estate village little changed since it was built in 1785,
with 50 houses and number of craft workshops.
Kirkcudbright
t A V It Bb Town dominated by St Cuthbert's Church spire,
Gothic tower of Tolbooth (1411) and jagged top of 16th-century
MacLellan's Castle. Wooded Wildlife Park has eagle, snowy
and barn owls.
Lincluden
College
Red-sandstone
remains of 12th-century convent. Fine heraldic decorations.
Knot garden has been restored.
Mabie
Forest
Views
of Nithsdale and the Solway Firth can be seen from marked
trails that lead through hillside plantations of fir, spruce,
oak and beech.
Maxwelton
House
Restored
14th to 15th-century house was once home of Annie Laurie,
immortalised in Scottish ballad of same name written by
her unsuccessful suitor, William Douglas, and later revised.
In courtyard is museum of kitchen, dairy and farm implements.
Mote
of Mark
Excellently
preserved Celtic hill-fort of 5th or 6th century, one of
most important archaeological sites on Solway Firth. Good
views of Cumbrian Hills.
Mote
of Urr
Most
extensive motte-and-bailey castle in Scotland, dating from
12th century, and built on Saxon or early Norman mound.
New
Abbey
Grey-stone
riverside village with beautiful ruin of 13th-century Sweetheart
Abbey, where Lady Devorgilla and embalmed heart of husband
Johnde Baliol are buried. Scottish Baronial mansion, Shambellie
House, contains costume museum with women's fashions from
18th century to Edwardian times. Water-powered corn mill,
dating from 18th century, is in working order.
New
Galloway
Angling
centre on River Ken has town hall with high clock tower
and jougs, hinged iron collars in which malefactors were
confined. Carved Adam and Eve stone stands in Kells churchyard.
Orchardton
Tower
Round
tower house, unique in Scotland, built by John Cairns in
the 15th century. Spiral staircase, hidden within double
walls, leads to parapet walk.
Palnackie
Village
little changed since days as thriving inland port, with
colour-washed houses around harbour, now silted up. Competitors
use bare feet and spears to catch fish from mud flats in
World Flounder Tramping Championships, off Glen Isle peninsula.
Upper floors in two-storey houses were once lodgings for
sailors.
Raiders'
Road
Ten-mile
forest drive beside Black Water of Dee, follows route taken
by armed cattle thieves in SR. Crockett's 1894 novel The
Raiders. Riverside and lochside picnic areas, walks and
bronze otter statue. Open June-September. 20mph speed limit.
Thornhill
Village
among attractive shallow hills has two boulevards lined
with 100-year-old lime trees planted by 6th Duke of Buccleuch.
Tall column erected 1714 supports winged horse, emblem of
Dukes of Queensberry.
Threave
Garden and Wildfowl Refuge
Estate
surrounding Scottish Baronial Threave House has woodland
walks and various gar-dens including display in spring of
200 daffodil varieties. Observation points overlook refuge
along banks of River Dee with wild swans, ducks and geese.
On island to north-west is mined Threave Castle, 14th-century
stronghold of feared Black Douglases.
Tongland
Battlemented
and turreted bridge over River Dee, designed by Thomas Telford
in 18OOs. Guided tours of hydroelectric power station and
dam.
Twelve
Apostles' Stone Circle
Dated
2000 BC, largest diameter stone circle in Scotland.
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