Scotland: Dumfries & Galloway (Slow Travel)

Dumfries and Galloway is ever more alluring to discerning visitors in search of grand views, peace and isolation, bustling harbourside towns, craft shops and galleries, cafés and restaurants, mountains and coast, wildlife and outdoor pursuits… all ingredients for a successful UK break. Even the weather defies expectation, the far west being warmed by the Gulf Stream so gardens harbour palm trees and southern hemisphere plants.

The region is explored in depth, from Eskdale in the east to Scotland’s southern tip at the Mull of Galloway, via Annandale, Nithsdale, Dumfries, The Stewartry, The Machars and Moors, and The Rhins. Visit Scotland’s highest village (with the country’s highest micro-brewery) in the morning, a deserted sandy beach in the afternoon, and a Dark Sky Park, gazing at the stars, in the evening.

Wildlife lovers will be in their element as all of Scotland’s ‘big five’ iconic species can be seen: golden eagle, red squirrel, harbour seal, red deer and European otter. In the surrounding waters look out for minke whales, harbour porpoise and dolphins, while Caerlaverock at the eastern end of the region plays host each year to the staggering annual spectacle of thousands of barnacle geese settling on the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve.

Human-related curiosities complement natural wonder. Samye Ling was the first Tibetan monastery established in the west; the Famous Blacksmith’s Shop at Gretna Green still hosts a thousand marriages a year – and not just eloping couples either; Hallmuir Chapel is a WWII Ukrainian place of worship in the Dumfriesshire Dales; and Dumfries itself contains the house where Robert Burns, Scotland’s national bard, spent his last three years. Whatever your interest, Bradt’s Dumfries & Galloway (Slow Travel) is the ideal companion for a successful trip.