Elm Cottage is within reach of significant places of interest in the south west of Scotland. These are just a few highlights…

Places of interest in the vicinity:

Rockcliffe – The Mote of Mark, 5th century fort.

Palnackie – Orchardton Tower, 15th century round tower, unique in Scotland.

Dundrennan – Abbey – associated with Mary Queen of Scots.

Sandyhills – Long sandy beach.

Southerness – Championship 18-hole Golf Course and one of the oldest lighthouses in Scotland.

Kirkbean – John Paul Jones’ Cottage and Museum. Arbigland House Garden.

New Abbey – Sweetheart Abbey. Working Corn Mill.

Castle Douglas: Food Town – very good food shops and restaurants.

Threave Castle, Castle Douglas – This is one of our favourite destinations with children. You walk the path to the river Dee, then ring the bell and the ferryman takes you over by boat to the castle.

Kirkcudbright: Artist’s Town – One of our favourite days out. Highly recommend a visit to the new Kirkcudbright Art Gallery (good café for a cuppa and lovely cakes!). Also visit the Tolbooth, NTS Broughton House, McClelland Castle, Kirkcudbright Museum and the Harbour Art Gallery… Lots of good, small picture galleries & shops too.

New Galloway and the Glenkens – Drive up the West side of Loch Ken and take a detour through the forest on the Raiders Road to Clatteringshaws Dam then back to New Galloway and Dalry: the emerging Bird Town.

Shore Route West – From Dalbeattie follow the coast by Palnackie, Auchencairn, Dundrennan to Kirkcudbright then on through Borgue to Gatehouse of Fleet. Wonderful scenery, pretty villages and pub grub along the way. Further west to Wigtown – Scotland’s Book Town.

Thornhill – At least an hour’s drive away up the Nith Valley. Close by, the magnificent Drumlanrig Castle, seat of the Dukes of Buccleuch. First rate collection of pictures and furnishings. Good restaurant. Open Easter to September.

Dumfries – Strong local connections with Robert Burns, Robert the Bruce and James Barrie’s Peter Pan. From June 2019, visit Moat Brae & Neverland – the National Centre for Children’s Literature and Storytelling. Visit the house where Burns died and the Globe Inn, his favourite drinking place.

There’s no such thing as bad weather……only the wrong clothes!

Come and see this beautiful corner of South West Scotland for yourselves.