Dumfries and Galloway

[Newtrix]

I'm planning a week in a lodge in Dumfries and Galloway and are after some ideas of what to do when we're there. So far we have Threave house & Gardens and Bainloch deer park. We like being outdoors, good food and pretty scenery.

Any thing not to be missed or hidden gems would be appreciated.

TIA

Threave Castle is also great, if it's open at this time of year.

Loch Arthur farm shop and cafe.

You don't say if you have children with you, but the favourite place for our DC was Cream o' Galloway, both the ice cream tasting and the adventure playground, but I believe the adventure playground is now closed.

Logan Botanic Garden is amazing.

Rockcliffe beach, Luce Bay... Southerness
New Abbey..

Steam Packet Inn at Isle of Whithorn, it was August when i went so we needed to book - still might be a good idea, gorgeous food, lovely location.

Oh and Monreith is a lovely spot, if you’re a fan of Ring of Bright Water; lovely views from Mull of Galloway too

Fleet Forest at Gatehouse of Fleet is beautiful.

yes to Cream of Galloway ice cream. and book shopping in Wigtown is a must - Scotland's book town

Bit outside of D&G but an easy and scenic drive: New Lanark definitely worth a visit, as is the Carmichael Estate nearby.

If you like reading then Wigtown is full of new and used book shops. Raiders Road for walks, the red deer range on the A712, Bellymack Hill Farm to see the Red Kites being fed.

The gardens at Drumlanrig Castle are also worth a walk round.

Gretna Green and the Gateway

Depends which side of the county you are. It stretches west to east for 100 miles. Powillimount Beach is lovely. Southerness is rank apart from the lighthouse). Threave is open all year round. New Abbey's lovely but Sweetheart Abbey's closed at the moment. Caerlavrock Castle, which is triangular is spectacular. The main thing, though, is the scenery: hills and coast and forest. The Pocket Mountain series of walking guidebooks is brilliant, and is very good on what top look out for. It's an international company but happens to be based in Dumfriesshire, so it's particularly good on local knowledge. Look out for red kites round Castle Douglas, golden eagles round Moffat (which is lovely). Red squirrels to be seen everywhere at this time of year.

Yes Wigtown is nice if you like bookshops. The Bladnoch distillery is on the outskirts and you can do a brewery tour. The Bladnoch pub does cheap fish and chips on a Friday - huge portions too.
Not far away is Garlieston which has a harbour and a lovely beach a short walk through the gardens.
And everyone else’s suggestions are good too!

Yes to the castles - Caerlaverock is a weird triangular one, and for Threave you have to get a boat to get there.

Echoing the comment above that it’s a very big county. If you’re not far from Threave then Rockcliffe is nice (walk to Kippford), the Heughs beyond Balcary Bay, Screel hill climb. Earth’s Crust bakery is Castle Douglas is great. If you’re nearer Dumfries, Dumlanrig is good (adventure playground is probably closed for the year now) and I like the shop/cafe Thomas Tosh in Thornhill. Keep meaning to go to the Peter Pan place in Dumfries.

Bring a tick remover and dust yourself down after every walk.

I grew up in deepest rural D&G and have never seen an red squirrel 😳 my friend’s DF used to comment on the ones he saw from his kitchen windows and I’d be all “Where??!?”

Kirkudbright for the art trail and scallops!

Gatehouse on Fleet for the mill museum. They also have a good walk called Roon the Water which has some great views.

Get yourself to a beach - Mossyard is a good one.

Love this place! www.thecocoabeancompany.com

Wow these all sounds amazing, so many I've not heard of. Thank you all..

Yeah we get two or three different ones on our bird feeders. The population's increasing, so there are more about. DH designed the Peter Pan garden #slightly humble and rather proud.
Basically, if you're in the Castle Douglas sort of area, CD's looked upon as a foodie town, Wigtown's a book town, and Kirkcudbright's an art town.
Look out for standing stones and belties (Belted Galloway cattle are everywhere).
There's an excellent camera obscura in Dumfries, and the Children's Literature Centre there has regular activities if you need a wet weather bolthole. And it rains here. A lot. Bring waterproofs in strength and depth.

Portpatrick pubs for the seafood ....chefs kiss

Take carrots and broccoli to the red deer range to feed them. Also the wild goats further west along the road. Clatteringshaws loch just east of the deer has a nice cafe but check it hasn't closed for the winter. The raiders road, between the loch and the deer range, through the woods is fun and there is a stop at the otters pool which is pretty. not far from the south end of the raiders road is the kite feeding station - I think kites are fed at 2pm.

Mountain biking in Ae Forest.