Newton Stewart is a small market and former burgh town on the banks of the River Cree, surrounded by the Galloway hills.
Newton Stewart was named after its founder William Stewart, son of the Earl of Galloway. It thrived on its cotton mills and carpet industries. It is now more famous for its salmon and trout fishing on the River Cree.
The town is a favourite location for hill walkers and mountain bikers as it is near Galloway Forest Park. It has internationally recognised gravel and mountain biking trails set amidst some of the most dramatic scenery in Southern Scotland.
There is a wealth of wildlife to be seen and enjoyed, such as red and roe deer in the forest and hills. If you are lucky you can see the wild goats that thrive on the rocky slopes of the nearby hills.
There are many great places to visit near Newton Stewart, including forests, beaches, historic sites, castles, interesting museums and a whole lot more. Below is a selection of great places to explore and enjoy when visiting or staying near Newton Stewart.
Loch Ken – Galloway Forest Park
Forest Parks – Nature, Hiking & Biking
Galloway Forest Park
A vast wild space with hiking and biking trails, and a Dark Sky Reserve. Established in 1947, the Galloway Forest Park is Britain’s largest forest park and is often referred to as ‘The Highlands of the Lowlands’. It attracts around 800,000 thousand visitors each year. It is home to dramatic ancient woodland, magnificent scenery and an astonishing range of local wildlife. Whether walking, cycling, fishing, driving through the woods or just relaxing in the tearooms, the Galloway Forest Park has something for everyone.
Kirroughtree – 7stanes
A visitor center with a cafe, bike shop, and shower facilities, plus trails for walking, biking, and exploring. Wander to the Wild Watch Hide to spot red squirrels and birds, or meander to Bruntis Loch. At Kirroughtree, Galloway Forest Park’s gateway centre there are cycle trails suitable for all abilities, forest roads for gentle family cycles to technically challenging singletrack. There’s high quality local produce at the Kirroughtree cafe and The Breakpad bike shop offers great advice on bike hire, repairs & trails.
Gravel biking trails
Glentrool Visitor Centre
Explore the waymarked trails, cycle routes and picnic areas by bike amidst the highest hills of Southern Scotland. Glentrool is the gateway to the Galloway hills. A tranquil spot at the heart of Galloway Forest Park. Discover the lively waters that feed into the picturesque Loch Trool and the scenic hiking and biking trails beneath the mighty Merrick (843m high).
Look out for Bruce’s Stone, overlooking the site of the Battle of Glen Trool. It is a moving monument to 17th century covenanters who were slain for their strong religious beliefs. It also has a popular visitor centre with a café.
Bruce’s Stone, overlooking the site of the Battle of Glen Trool
Beaches
There are many lovely beaches to choose from not far from Newton Stewart, including some that are great for children and many are dog friendly all year around.
Dog Friendly Beaches near Newton Stewart
Rigg Bay
Is a beautiful tree lined sandy beach, a wonderful place to swim and suitable for paddling. It is and is one of the best beaches for small children as the rock pools are fun to explore. Rigg Bay is a place of historical interest as it is linked to the D-Day landings. This was a test site for the Mulberry Harbours as it had the same tidal range as the Normandy beaches and was a long way from any prying eyes. This is a real hidden secret and well worth the walk.
Monreith Bay
This long sandy beach backed by pebbles can be found near Whithorn in Dumfries & Galloway. With rock pools and some interesting caves, one of which is streaked red and known as the ‘Butcher’s Cave’, the beach is backed by a small village of Monreith.
Mossyard Beach
The sandy beach at Mossyard between Creetown and Gatehouse of Fleet is described as a ‘little gem’ by this who visit. Mossyard shore boasts three sandy beaches. Many boats, dinghies, etc, are launched from these and kept on moorings or above high tide. A trip to Mossyard Beach can be combined with other activities, including Kirroughtree Forest, Carsluith Castle (see below), the Marrbury Smokehouse, and the Galloway Smokehouse.
Castles & Historic Sites
St Ninian’s Cave, Whithorn
St Ninian’s Cave is found on a steep stony beach on the western side of The Machars, north of the Isle of Whithorn. It is believed to be where St Ninian sought solitude after he brought Christianity to South West Scotland back in the 5th century AD. Christians still frequent the site and engrave crosses into the cave walls. The beach is reached via a car park signposted from the Port William to Isle of Whithorn road.
Carsluith Castle
Is a an attractive old ruined though well preserved L-Shaped tower house dating largely back to the 16th century. It was the home to the landed gentry, the Broun family. It can be found near Creetown.
Glenluce Abbey
Founded in 1192 by Roland, Earl of Galloway the magnificent ruins of this Cistercian Abbey are some of the best preserved in Scotland. At Glenluce Abbey visitors can learn about 400 years of monastic life in the valley of the Water of Luce. The last or the Reformation monks embraced the reformed religion and were left to live out their days in the cloister.
Glenluce Abbey
Sorbie Tower
Was built in the 16th century for Alexander Hannay of Sorbie, adjacent to a 12th century motte, on a raised site protected by surrounding marshland.
Cairn Holy Chambered Tombs
Cairnholy is the site of two Neolithic chambered tombs of the Clyde type. It is located 4 kilometres east of the village of Carsluith in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Cairn Holy Chambered Cairns
Torhouse Stone Circle
The Standing Stones of Torhouse are a stone circle of nineteen granite boulders on the land of Torhouse, three miles west of Wigtown.
Museums
Gem Rock Museum
It is regarded as one of the finest private collections of gemstones, crystals, minerals, rocks and fossils in Great Britain. in its award-winning Gem Rock Museum. The award-winning museum contains many fine and rare examples of crystals found in Britain. They are displayed alongside many other colourful specimens from around the world. Unusual items include the 4.5 billion year old 3kg meteorite, the fossilised egg and dung of a dinosaur! The “Maverick” gold nugget is one of the largest natural gold specimens on display in the U.K.
Newton Stewart Museum
The Museum contains a wealth of historical treasures, some pre-Victorian, with exciting and interesting displays of the natural and social history of Galloway. Newton Stewart Museum displays exhibits such as local photography, costumes and fabrics relating to the natural and social history of Galloway. The museum’s different sections to explore include The Nursery, Tradesman’s Tools, The Dairy, The Kitchen and The Smithy.
Other Great Places to Visit
Galloway Red Deer Range
The Galloway Red Deer Range located near Clatteringshaws. It is a great place to get up close with one of Scotland’s most loved species. The red deer is the UK’s largest mammal, these beautiful creatures can be seen up close in a natural environment. Around 25 red deer live here today. Visitors can watch for them from the viewing area and hide.
Kirkdale Water Driven Sawmill & Nature Trail
The only working water-powered sawmill in Scotland. Nature trails located in Kirkdale Estate runs beside the sawmill to a pond where many different species of wildlife can be seen.
Crafty Distillery
A multi-award winning distillery nestled on the edge of Newton Stewart, overlooking the stunning Galloway hills. A vodka, gin and single malt scotch whisky distillery that offers tours, tastings, and take-home options from the Crafty Distillery shop.
Crafty Distillery, Newton Stewart
Cream o’ Galloway
Famous for luxury homemade ice cream, the Cream o’ Galloway centre has a tearoom, garden and nature trails. Book for the daily Ice Cream Tasting event and for Finlay’s Farm & Creamery Tour. It is a fun location for children too as it offers a fabulous adventure play area for adults and children to play together with Flying Fox, Pedal Karts, Go Boing. There is also an indoor play area with an ‘under 6s’ corner.
Organic Luxury Ice Creams from Cream o’Galloway
The Book Shop, Wigtown
A charming bookshop with a unique layout and décor. It is nestled in the heart of Scotland’s National Book Town, Wigtown. The shop itself has around 100,000 books spread across a mile of shelving, making it the country’s largest second-hand bookshop. It’s also Wigtown’s oldest bookshop.
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Galloway House Gardens, near Garlieston
These historic, seaside gardens occupy a unique, sheltered position on Wigtown Bay, close to the village of Garlieston. The Galloway House Gardens date back to 1740 and are set in over 50 acres of well-designed parkland complementing the natural local landscape. There are a fascinating network of formal garden paths and informal natural woodland walks. Varied scenery incorporates a variety of interesting plants from wild-flowers and shrubs to magnificent old trees. These include many exotic species that benefit from the unusually mild climate owing to the warm Gulf Stream.
Getting to Newton Stewart
Newton Stewart is only 26 miles away from Ross Bay Retreat holiday cottages and is only about a 40 minute drive (see Google Maps for directions).
More Information & Useful Links
- Visit Scotland – Town of Newton Stewart
- Visit Dumfries & Galloway – Places to go
- Galloway Forest Park – https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/forest-parks/galloway-forest-park
- Guide to Cycling Trails Around Kirkcudbright & Galloway Forest Park
- Exploring Arts & Culture in Dumfries & Galloway
- Good Fun Outdoor Adventures in Dumfries & Galloway
- Guide to the Wild Side of Southern Dumfries & Galloway
- 6 Great Wildlife & Nature Areas around Dumfries & Galloway
- Interactive Guest Map of the Local Area for Ross Bay Retreat
- Great Places to Visit Near Dumfries in South West Scotland
