Places to visit
South West Coastal 300
Much of the South West Coastal drive is along our glorious coastline taking in Portpartick, Whithorn, Wigtown, Kirkcudbright and Southerness. The drive continues inland to Dumfries, Lockerbie, Moffatt, Warnlockhead and over into Ayrshire.
St Ninians Cave
Situated only 4 miles from Whithorn, this small cave is thought to be the retreat of St. Ninian, Scotland’s first saint. During an excavation of the site, many Christian symbols including carved headstones and crosses from the 10th and 11th centuries were found and are now displayed in the Priory Museum at Whithorn. Today the cave is the site of an annual pilgrimage for Christians.
Deer and Goat parks
The Red Deer Range gives you the chance to see these beautiful creatures up close in a natural environment. Around 60 red deer live at the range and you can watch for them from the viewing area and hide. There is also a wild goat park nearby.
Wigtownshire County Golf Club
The ‘County’ is one of the most popular holiday golf courses in South West Scotland, an 18-hole, true links course situated on the shores of Luce Bay. The excellent condition of the course, combined with subtlely sloping greens and changing sea breezes, provide a test of golf for both high and low handicappers.
Galloway Forest Park
Managed by Forestry Commission Scotland – there are 3 visitors centres in the region – the closest is Kirroughtree, with its red squirrels, bike hire and wonderful walking and cycling tracks for all ages and abilities. Clatteringshaws and Glentrool are also within easy driving distance. All worth a visit, perfect for walking , cycling and wildlife / bird watching.
Red Kite feeding station
Red kites have been congregating at Bellymack Hill Farm since 2001 when they were reintroduced to Galloway. Kites are fed daily at 2pm. Station is open from 1pm to 4pm (3pm in winter). The feeding station is only 20 minutes drive from RSPB Scotland’s Ken-Dee Marshes Reserve.
Wigtown - Scotland's National Book Town
Wigtown was officially designated as Scotland’s National Book Town in 1998 and is now home to a wide range of book-related businesses. A book lovers haven – and with over quarter of a million books to choose from, old and new … it is impossible to escape empty-handed.
Cocoa Bean Factory
The Cocoa Bean Co is both a family visitor attraction and a maker of some of the finest handmade chocolates you’ll ever taste! Workshops for kids, a cafe, climbing frames, dinosaurs, pirate ships and more.
Wigtown & Bladnoch Golf Club
A pleasant 9 hole course that offers a good test of golf to players of all abilities. Set in rolling parkland on the edge of Wigtown, Scotland’s National Book Town, the course is a haven for those seeking relaxing golf and a friendly atmosphere. Around the course there are magnificent views of Wigtown Bay.
Portpatrick
Portpatrick is one of the most popular holiday villages on the coast of South West Scotland. Portpatrick has a picturesque harbour, a wealth of things to do and most likely, more places to eat than any other village in South West Scotland.
The Whithorn Way
The Whithorn Way is a long distance pilgrimage walk from Glasgow to Whithorn, following in the footsteps of centuries of Pilgrims, Saints and Monarchs.
Whithorn
Whithorn is the site of the earliest Christian community in Scotland. Whithorn’s town centre retains its street plan from the Middle Ages with a wide market square and long garden plots. Many kings and queens journeyed to this small town, over the centuries.
Dark Skies Park
Galloway Forest Park has around 75,000 hectares of land, where limited numbers of buildings means we can keep light pollution to a minimum. Over 7,000 stars and planets are visible with the naked eye from the Forest Park, and the bright band of the Milky Way is usually easy to see arching across the sky.
St Medans Golf Club
This family-friendly, 9 hole course, laid out on the shores of Luce Bay in south west Scotland, offers an interesting and challenging game for novices and experienced golfers alike.
The Isle of Whithorn
This village is one of the most southerly communities in Scotland; set in a picturesque and unspoilt part of Dumfries and Galloway, rich in history and with strong links to the land and the sea.