Holiday rentals in Dumfries and Galloway

The Dumfries and Galloway province in southwestern Scotland stretches across grass-covered hills and vast woodlands teeming with birch and fir trees as well as some of the most ancient yews in the country. More than 100 medieval castles are dotted across the province. You’ll have your pick of half-crumbling, 13th-century castle ruins immersed in overgrown landscapes to explore on foot. Others, such as Caerlaverock Castle in Caerlaverock Natural Preserve, have well-maintained drawbridges and filled moats, and are surrounded by manicured gardens.

The largest town in the province, Dumfries, is packed with red-brick Gothic Revival architecture. Dumfries is known for the Robert Burns House museum, where the world-renowned poet lived for eight years and worked on manuscripts still on display. His statue and mausoleum are also some of the town’s most-visited landmarks. Further south in the province, a handful of still-standing abbeys date from the 12th century. The Gothic greystone Dundrennan Abbey is one of the most intact Cistercian abbeys in the country.

The weather in Dumfries and Galloway is generally rainy throughout the year, so don’t forget to pack a waterproof layer. Summers are warm and comfortable, and the region’s biggest arts festival occurs this time of year. Ten days of arts and culture events showcase Scotland’s local music, comedy, and drama. Winters can be cold, so wrap up to go stargazing in the Galloway Forest Park’s night skies, designated as a Dark Sky Park for its top-tier conditions.

Autumn and spring are both cool and get chilly at night. The waterfront village of Wigtown is home to more than a dozen independent book shops. In autumn, it hosts the Wigtown Book Festival, with two weeks of book discussions and poetry readings. One of Scotland’s most-loved arts and crafts events is in spring, where nearly 100 artists open their studio doors to display their latest creations.

Drumlanrig Castle

The extravagant, Renaissance-style Drumlanrig Castle, near the town of Carronbridge, sits on nearly 40,000 hectares of grassy woodlands. The 17th-century building boasts more than 100 rooms filled with centuries-old paintings and furniture, and you can visit the castle’s rooms, except for parts of the home still privately owned by royal families. The castle grounds extend into immaculate gardens until they reach the property’s outskirts, where bike and walk-friendly trails lead you through the bright green, hilly countryside.

Galloway Forest Park

Galloway Forest Park on the province’s west side is one of the most expansive forests in the UK, covering nearly 97,000 hectares of Douglas fir and sequoia trees. You can take the 10-mile round-trip Raiders’ Road Forest Drive by car or bike to enjoy loch waters and lush woodlands. You might even spot a red fox. About halfway through the drive, the Otter Pool’s clear waters and tree-lined banks offer a serene backdrop for a riverfront picnic.

Mull of Galloway

At Scotland’s southernmost tip, the Mull of Galloway cliffside juts towards the Irish Sea. You can walk to the white-brick lighthouse sitting at the edge of the 80-metre cliffs; on a clear day, you can see Northern Ireland. In the 12-hectare Mull of Galloway Nature Reserve nearby, seabirds like black guillemots and razorbills nest in and soar over the cliffs.