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Wildlife/Bird Watching
The Solway Firth is a haven for wildlife and attracts
thousands of wild geese, swans and other birds from Autumn
until late Spring.
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust 1400 acre nature reserve
at nearby Caerlaverock is simply a must for any lover of birds
and their wild habitats.
Historical Attractions
 Dumfries
and Galloway is a region steeped in history.
Caerlaverock, one of Scotland's finest castles, with a
moat, twin towered gatehouse and imposing battlements is a
fine example of a medieval stronghold.
Drumlanrig Castle, the 'pink palace' is a unique example
of late 17th century Renaissance architecture and is one of
the principal visitor attractions in South Scotland.
Family Attractions
Enjoy a fun day out for all the family at
Mabie
Park Farm, near Dumfries, whatever the
weather. donkey rides, animal feeding, soft play, astro
slides, trampolines, boating pond and much more...
Westlands Activity Centre, near Annan, provides a fabulous
family day out. Set in a
mature woodland environment, with activities for all ages...
paintballing, quad bikes, go karting, shooting and fishing.
Golf
With a choice of 30 courses in Dumfries and Galloway, you can
play serious golf or just a few rounds of holiday golf to your
hearts content. The nearby championship
Powfoot Golf Club is an excellent venue for all types of
golfers. The links part of the course follows the
shoreline of the Solway Firth and presents some breathtaking
views of the North Lakes mountains.
Cycling
With lots of
off-road trails and miles and miles of quiet country roads ,
cycling is the ideal way to explore.
The
national cycle network traverses the region, with a
section right on the doorstep of Ruthwell.
For those looking for a more challenging experience, make sure
you take time to visit the
7 stanes
- Scotland's biking heaven.
Walking
Dumfries and Galloway is the perfect place to enjoy walking,
with all the landscapes
you could want.
The
Annan walking group have a number of organised walks
throughout the year.
The annual
Lower Annandale walking festival offers a selection of
guided walks exploring the beautiful coast and countryside
around Annan.
Fishing
 The
River Annan flows south from Moffat to the Solway Firth
and for most of it's 35
miles offers fishing for salmon and sea trout. Access to the
river is generally good with many beats offering day tickets
or competitive weekly rates.
The
River Nith, which flows south from New Cumnock to south of
Dumfries is the largest of the Solway rivers and offers
excellent salmon and sea trout fishing for anglers of all
abilities and experiences.
Wildfowling
Foreshore and inshore wildfowling is practiced in season
on the Solway. Permits are available from Scottish
Natural Heritage for their designated area and tickets can be
obtained from the Scottish Solway Wildfowlers Association for
their stretches of foreshore. Some public right shooting
areas also exist.
Shopping
At
Gretna Gateway Outlet Village you will find a glittering
array of world famous designer fashions at outlet prices.
Burns
Robert Burns lived, worked and died in Dumfries. The
Brow Well, situated on the banks of the Lochar in the parish
of Ruthwell is a spring containing a mineral which was
believed to have healing properties. In the last year of
his life, as his health continued to deteriorate, Robert Burns
was advised to take this cure by his doctor. Burns drank the
water and waded chest deep into the cold sea.
It is little wonder that he died within days of this
experience.
Museums
 The original Ruthwell Parish Bank is now the home of the
Savings Bank Museum.
Henry Duncan had as a young man, started on a banking career
in Liverpool. When he became minister of Ruthwell, to help his
parishioners he started a penny bank. The small accumulated
savings of his parishioners were then deposited with the much
larger trading banks and the interest was returned to the
depositors accounts. From these very small beginnings at
Ruthwell in 1810, grew the world-wide Savings Bank movement.
Shambellie House Museum of costume presents a fascinating
look at fashion and social etiquette from the 1850's to
1950's.Beaches
With over 200 miles of coastline Dumfries & Galloway offers a
selection of beaches, bays, coves and inlets for you to enjoy.
 Ruthwell
Church and Cross
Dr Henry Duncan, minister of the parish church in Ruthwell,
restored the magnificent eight century
Ruthwell Cross. It is the most important Anglo-Saxon cross
in Scotland and has now been restored to its rightful place in
Ruthwell Church
Places to Eat
The Farmers Inn at Clarencefield is less than a mile away and
offers a good selection of traditional meals and cask ales.
Slightly further a field, the Powfoot Golf Hotel, using the
best local suppliers, offers a
selection of menus to suit all.
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