Local Attractions

Creel Cottage, Dairy House, The Old Cheeseloft and Byre by the Sea are all ideally situated as your  base for you to explore the best of South West Scotland’s visitor attractions, beaches, wildife, heritage and culture. There are many wonderful restaurants and cafes to enjoy too. See below for ideas and inspirations.

Checkout our Local Interactive Map

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Local Visitor Attractions

• Chocolate Factory – If chocolate is your world….chocolate workshops, indoor and outdoor play areas, café and visitor shop.
• Cream o Galloway – Icecream making, fun activities both indoors and outdoors with nature walks and lots more.
• Galloway Alpacas
• Threave Gardens
• Cally Gardens, Gatehouse of Fleet
• Logan Botanical Gardens
• Kirkcudbright Art Tours 
• Kirkcudbright Galleries
• Galloway wild foods
• Whisky distillery (Bladnoch Wigtown)
• Sulwath Brewers
• Scottish Dark Sky Observatory
• Mill on the Fleet exhibition centre
• Southern Scotland’s annual country fair

Historical Sights & Museums

• Gem Rock Museum
• Historic Scotland
• Drumlanrig Castle & Estate
• Threave Castle, Castle Douglas
• Caerlaverock Castle
• Museums and galleries
• Broughton House & Gardens

Loch Ken – Galloway Forest Park

Nature & Countryside

• Galloway Kite trail
• Mersehead Nature Reserve
• Sandy beaches at Brighouse Bay, Carrick Bay
• Galloway Forest Park
• Mull of Galloway experience
• Barstobrick Visitor Centre, wildlife walks, horse riding, coffee shop, fishing and local heritage.
• UNSECO Galloway & Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Reserve
• Bainloch Deer Park

Activities

• Golfing available at Brighouse Bay or at Kirkcudbright Golf Club
• Country and coastal walking
• Rock climbing at Meikle Ross
• Pony trekking at Brighouse Bay
• Kirkcudbright Summer Festivities
• 7stanes mountain biking
• Galloway Activity Centre at Loch Ken
• Laggan Outdoor Activity Centre
• Swimming pools at Kirkcudbright

Where to Eat & Drink

There are plentiful places for fine dining, bar suppers, fresh fish & chips, local cafes and bakeries in the area.

• Restaurants & Pubs

  • Selkirk Arms Kirkcudbright (Michelin starred restaurant)
  • The Masonic Arms, Gatehouse of Fleet (pub meals and Sunday carvery)
  • The Kirkcudbright Bay Hotel, Kirkcudbright (pub meals)
  • Carlos Restuarant (Italian), Castle Douglas (restaurant)
  • Mr Pooks, Castle Douglas (restaurant)
  • The Anchor at Kippford (pub meals by the harbour wall)
  • The Mariner Hotel at Kippford (pub meals)
  • The Borgue Hotel, Borgue (pub meals)

  Or visit our feature blog on our favourite & guest recommended pubs and restaurants to visit.

  Cafes & Takeaways

  • Mulberries Café Kirkcudbright
  • Kirkcudbright Art Gallery, Kirkcudbright (cafe)
  • Galloway Lodge, Gatehouse of Fleet (cafe)
  • Designs Gallery & Café Castle Douglas
  • Polarbites fish & chip shop Kirkcudbright
  • Moores fish & chip shop Castle Douglas
  • Paul Jones the Bakers, Kirkcudbright (takeaway bakers)

  For our recommended and guest favourite cafes and tearooms to visit see – Popular Café’s and Tearooms Near Kirkcudbright & When Out & About

Loch Ken - Galloway Forest Park

Threave Castle - Visit Scotland

Kirkcudbright Harbour

Threave Castle

The Mill on the Fleet

Threave Estate & Nature Reserve

Southerness Lighthouse & Beach

Drumlanrig Castle

Wood of Cree RSPB Nature Reserve

Adventures in the Galloway Forest Park

Caerlaverock Castle

St Ninian's Cave near Wigtown

Bruce's Stone - Loch Trool

Dunskey Castle

Curly Tale Books in Wigtown

Cairn Holy Chambered Cairns

Dark Skies at Clatteringshaws Loch

Galloway Alpacas & Trekking

Buchan Waterfalls at Glen Trool

Mill of Gatehouse of Fleet

Dundrennan Abbey

Milky Way at Auchencairn

After an action packed day, on return to Creel Cottage, Dairy House, The Old Cheeseloft or Byre by the Sea, you could take the BBQ across the lane onto the shoreline gardens, or the bay and enjoy sizzling steaks, or freshly caught local fish whilst listening to the sound of the sea and waves lapping the shore only metres from the doors of the cottages!

General Visitor Information

• Visit Kirkcudbright
• Visit Dumfries and Galloway
• Visitor info for Southern Scotland
• Visit Dumfries & Galloway
• Visit Scotland – Dumfries & Galloway, things to ‘See & Do’
• WelcometoScotland