The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Southern charms of Scotland’s forgotten gem
Most people drive straight past Dumfries and Galloway – but they are missing out on fabulous bays and historical treasures
To many people Dumfries and Galloway is just that region you bullet past on the motorway on a dash between Scotland and England.
I’ve been guilty of that mistake too. If you stop off and make some time, though, Scotland’s southernmost region is a real charmer, alive with epic ruined abbeys, superb local produce, sweeping sandy beaches, gorgeous scenery and some great places to stay.
Don’t just take my word for it. Robert the Bruce was a big fan as he scored his first major victory over English forces in the region.
Robert Burns was charmed too, buying a farm here at Ellisland, which you can still visit. He lived in Dumfries for his last years before his tragic early death at 37.
My wee girls loved visiting the Burns House, where he lived, which is now open as a free museum. They also loved the tasty lunch we enjoyed at Hullabaloo in the riverside Robert Burns Centre after checking out the Burns exhibits here too.
Our base was just north of Dumfries at Trigony House Hotel and Garden Spa (www.trigonyhotel.co.uk).
This family-run country hotel was very welcoming to the kids and was seriously pet friendly too, with pooches enjoying their own dedicated shower facilities.
I loved waking here to the sound of birdsong and the top-notch local food created by chef proprietor Adam Moore.
We feasted on the likes of Solway Firth crab, Galloway smoked salmon and local lamb. The girls enjoyed running around the big garden, while mummy enjoyed a treatment in the new Trigony Garden Spa.
Handily, Trigony lies within striking distance of one of my favourite abbeys in Scotland and one of my favourite castles – Caerlaverock.
This striking fortification looks every bit the classic castle, with its sturdy walls and moat, still filled with water.
Look closer and its uniqueness really strikes – it only has three sides. I reckon this is the only castle with that distinction in Britain.
This elegant ruin is great for delving around, with a wee adventure park for children and an audiovisual exhibition area complete with period costumes for kids and big kids alike to dress up in.
The area is lucky enough to sport a trio of glorious Historic Scotland abbeys. I’ve a lot of time for sleepy Glenluce and grand Dundrennan but it is Sweetheart Abbey that really captures my affections.
The story behind this most romantic of ruins is that local luminary Lady Devorgilla was so devastated by the death of her husband that she had his heart embalmed and wore it around her neck. She carried it there until her own death, more than three decades later. Today they lie reunited in the grounds of the abbey.
On the second day of our southern break we pushed west along the Solway Firth to the Laggan Outdoor Activity Centre.
The excellent Basecamp cafe has been extended since I was last in but its epic views out to the Lake District and the Isle of Man remain unchanged.
First up was teaching my nine and sixyear-old girls how to shoot arrows. After learning the basics on a target range, we were taken for a walk in the forest where they got to fire out arrows in the wilds – a real thrill.
Next up was grass sledging – no, I didn’t know you do could that either.
That really got the girls going but it was nothing compared to the main
event, flying down nearly 2,700ft at speeds of up to 50mph on Scotland’s longest zip wire. My girls loved the speed, while I appreciated a bird’s eye views of the firth and the distant hulk of the Lakes.
To slow things back down a little we headed for the nearby Mossyard Bay beach. The area is dappled with a rich necklace of sandy beaches and I’ve never been on one that is dirty or overcrowded.
Our last night was spent at a dramatic award-winning luxury selfcatering escape, Dundream (www. dundream.com).
It sported more epic views out towards the sea and Ailsa Craig.
The first time I discovered this seriously underrated part of Scotland was when I embarked on the Southern Upland Way, an epic 212-mile coast to coast walk that starts at Portpatrick before sweeping across the country to the North Sea at Cocksburnpath. This time we just relaxed on the beach at the starting point.
This was once a busy port alive with regular maritime traffic to Ireland. Today, tourism is the main industry, though even that is quite low key.
We love The Crown. This friendly waterfront pub dishes up boat-fresh seafood, with a heaving platter alive with prawns, scallops and lobster – all for a fraction of what you would pay in Edinburgh or Glasgow.
All too soon it was time to gun our car back home.
Our last stop came passing through the Galloway Forest Park, the largest of its kind in the UK. The UK’s first Dark Skies Park was opened within the park and it really is a brilliant place for stargazing, with little light pollution.
It is rewarding experiences like these that make it worth turning off that motorway for Dumfries and Galloway.