The influence of the Gulf Stream creates a mild winter climate with hardly any frost and snow. This allows temperate plants to be grown outdoors and many of the gardens have plants you wouldn't expect to find growing in Scotland.
The town of Wigtown has developed in recent years into the most significant collection of secondhand book shops in the whole of Scotland. If you're a book lover, expect to spend hours browsing the shelves of the numerous bookshops. Several have small cafes and there is a major 10 day long Book Festival held in the town each September.
On the route back to the Cottage, stop off in Bladnoch to visit the distillery. Sadly in recent years, distillery tours were no longer available but the amber liquid can still be bought from the distillery shop!
What started as a family collection is now one of the most significant collections of rocks, fossils and gemstones in the UK. Complemented by a newly extended cafe/restaurant many hours can be spent marvelling at the gemstones and admission tickets permit re-entry during your visit to the area.
The Museum and dig in Whithorn, the Isle of Whithorn with the ruins of St. Ninian's Chapel, and nearby St. Ninian's Cave tell the story of the earliest Christian arrivals in Scotland. Many people even today, follow the Pilgrim's Route from Glasgow to the site of the Whithorn Priory, though usually not barefoot these days!
A dramatic location with the Gallie Craig cafe standing right on the cliff edge. An RSPB bothy provides useful identification information for the birds you are likely to see and if you're lucky enough to be there when they are admitting visitors to the lighthouse it's an opportunity not to miss. From the top of the lighthouse, you can see 7 Kingdoms!
Originally built as the cross-channel port to Ireland, Port Patrick's harbour was too exposed to the gales and ferries moved to the shelter of Loch Ryan and the port of Stranraer (now moved up the Loch slightly to Cairn Ryan). There is always something to watch around the harbour, or enjoy the numerous eating places with the Port Pantry coffee shop and the Waterfront Hotel perhaps being two of the best.
Enjoy the putting green or a game of tennis (pay at the Super Loo), or take a short but dramatic walk along the cliff top South of the town to the remains of Dunskey Castle. One can only imagine how wild and dangerous the district must have been to force people to build castles in locations like that!
Just North of Port Patrick can be found Dunskey House Gardens with a small cafe / restaurant serving some lovely food and cakes. Continue a little further North on the same road and a left turn takes travellers down to Killantrigan beach and lighthouse. The beach is an extensive stretch of sand extending for a mile or more, at the Northern end of which can just be seen Knock House, the home of the Earl of Stair. When the Royal Family made their annual tour of Scotland on the Royal Yacht Britannia, they would anchor off Killantrigan and take a launch ashore to dine at Knock House.
The main properties in the area are:-
For more information, see the National Trust for Scotland website
Drive right to the head of Glen Trool and you'll pass the Glen Trool Visitor Centre with a lovely small cafe. Enjoy tea and cakes while the birds feed just outside your window and pick up some information on the numerous short walks and bike trails available in the area.
Continue on to the head of the Glen for magnificent views over Loch Trool from the Bruce's Stone, erected in memory of the mass slaying of the 17th Century covenanters, killed for their religious beliefs in the Battle of Glen Trool.
https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/forest-parks/galloway-forest-park/glentrool-visitor-centre
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