We moved to Galloway, SouthWest Scotland in 2018 from Yorkshire. It is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been.
The land here has some similarities to Yorkshire and Derbyshire with its lush green landscape and open rolling fields. It also reminds us very much of Cornwall and Wales with its wild and rugged coastline. And the mountains, lochs and lakes remind us of happy times in the Lake District.
Beaches and Coastline
We love the beaches here, and the nearest one is a 20-minutes drive from Drumwhill. Our favourites are Rockcliffe, Kippford and Mossyard.
We love the coastal path. Particularly along the Solway Firth and have done some spectacular walks from Rockcliffe to Castle Point and around to Sandyhills. Auchencairn Bay and Stairhaven are other favourites of ours. Mull of Galloway is the southernmost point of Scotland with amazing views out to sea. Here you can visit the lighthouse, RSPB nature reserve and on a clear day have views across to Ireland and the Isle of Man. Further up the west coast is the beautiful little town of Portpatrick, the start of the Southern Upland Way.
Lochs
Here at Drumwhill we are surrounded by beautiful lochs. Drumwhill itself has spectacular views over Woodhall Loch where you can wild swim, fish or just enjoy the view. Just up the road is Loch Ken which has a water Sports Activity centre where you can paddleboard, kayak and enjoy other water-based activities. Venturing onto the road through the hills from New Galloway you find Clatteringshaws Loch which is very reminiscent of the Lake District with its majestic mountains in the background. There is a visitor centre here where you can stop for a drink and some food and enjoy the views.
Towns and villages
There are many local towns, all with their own individual characters and specialisms. Our local town Castle Douglas has many beautiful art and craft shops. It is also famous as a food town, with the award-winning Mr Pooks restaurant. Nearby, Kirkcudbright is recognised as an artist town with many annual festivals including the Festival of Light in Autumn and then there is Wigtown, Scotlands book Town which holds its own yearly book festival.
Places to visit
There are many beautiful places to visit. A plethora of castles and ancient monuments, the Standing Stones at Cairn Holy. If you visit these at sunset or sunrise, you may bump into Joe who has many delightful tales to tell of these stones that he’s gleaned from his studies of them over the years.
Many beautiful gardens to visit on the west coast. There is wildlife to be seen everywhere you go. The Deer Park the Wild Goat Park, Ospreys at Threave. Red Kites fly low over our garden daily. Deer and rabbits are everywhere, and there are also many other species of birds at the coast. If you’re here in the autumn you can witness the geese migration as they fly in for the winter from Iceland.
Sometimes you might see a seal or even a whale down at the coast. There is also Carrick multiverse and Moat Brae the home of Peter Pan.
Hills mountains and the Galloway landscape
While not as high as our neighbours to the north, the Galloway Hills offer a remoteness and wildness rarely found in this country. A formidable challenge at any time of the year the Galloway Hills offer the chance to experience all four seasons in one day. Whether it’s a full day on the Merrick and relaxing in the solitude of Loch Enoch or an afternoon wandering up Screel for views across the Solway Firth to the Lakes, there is a hill for everyone in Galloway.