13 Towns And Villages In Dumfries And Galloway To Visit

Dumfries and Galloway have charming towns and villages. This post lists the best 13 towns and villages in Dumfries and Galloway to visit.

The southwest region of Scotland is often described as ‘Scotland in Miniature’. The region is rich in cultural heritage, outstanding scenery, rolling farmland and a stunning coastline.

Also, a part of Dumfries and Galloway has been designated by UNESCO as a “biosphere reserve”. The landscape in Dumfries and Galloway inspired Robert Burns, who lived in the area more than 200 years ago.

The area has mild climates, luxurious estates, sailing villages, quaint cottages and RSPB reserves. Visiting one of the towns and villages in Dumfries and Galloway is a great way to spend a day.

Dumfries

Dumfries is a historic medieval town located on the River Nith with flows southwards to the Solway Firth. Long ago, in the 12th century, this was the main centre for the Dumfries and Galloway region.

There is a variety of colourful houses to look at in the town which dates back to the 15th century. There is a mid steeple in the centre of town, which dates back to the 18th century and was used as a courtroom and prison.

The town is well known for being where Robert Burns lived in the last few years of his life. There is a statue of Robert Burns overlooking the town’s High Street.

Robert Burns is now a fascinating museum. Also, there is a mausoleum that marks where the grave is, and at the Globe Inn, you can sit in his favourite chair by the fireplace.

For history buffs and curious minds head to Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura where you can learn about the history of the area. The museum is set in an 18th-century windmill and there are stunning views on offer across the countryside.

You can learn about aircraft history at the Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum. The museum is based inside an old World War II airfield and has an impressive collection of civil and military aircraft.

Make sure to visit the red sandstone castle ruin called Caerlaverock Castle. The stunning fortress is set on a moat and you can learn about the castle’s turbulent history.

In addition, you can visit the ruined 13th-century abbey called Sweetheart Abbey. Lady Devorgilla founded the abbey as a tribute to her beloved husband, John Balliol.

Moreover, you can visit the ruins of Lincluden Collegiate Church. Crichton Memorial Church is a great example of ecclesiastical architecture in Southern Scotland.

Things to do in Dumfries

Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura
Robert Burns House
Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum
Caerlaverock Castle
Sweetheart Abbey
Deverogilla Bridge
Crichton Memorial Church
Burns Mausoleum
Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust

Stranraer

Stranraer is an old settlement which dates back to the 16th century. The town is located at the head of Loch Ryan and the main industry in the 18th and 19th centuries was shipbuilding.

Nowadays, Stranraer is the gateway to the Rhinns of Galloway and is a busy ferry departure service to Northern Ireland. Stranraer is known as ‘The Toon’ and is Dumfries and Galloway’s second-largest town.

In the old town hall is Stranraer Museum. On the main street is one of Stranraer’s main attractions – the 16th-century Castle of St John.

The Castle Kennedy Gardens are located three miles east of Stranraer. Castle Kennedy is one of the most gorgeous castles in Dumfries and Galloway.

Also, you can pay a visit to Logan Botanic Garden which is located 13 miles from Stranraer. The gardens have some lovely exotic ferns, palms and a wonderful walled garden.

Things to do in Stranraer

Loch Ryan
Stranraer Garden
Castle Kennedy Gardens
Logan Botanic Garden

Dalbeatie

Dalbeatie is a small village which contains solid houses built of grey granite. The settlement is known as ‘Granite Town’ and sits in the Urr Valley, approximately 15 miles from Dumfries.

Dalbeatie has been exporting grey granite since the 19th century. Nowadays, its quarry only produces granite chips for roads.

The town is a lovely place to base yourself for exploring the Colvend Coast. There is a good selection of castles, gardens, nature walks and places to go for fishing, golfing and biking.

Dalbeatie Forest is located on the outskirts of Dalbeatie. This is where you will find the internationally famous 7stanes Mountain Bike Trail which is great for adrenaline seekers.

Things to do in Dalbeatie

Dalbeatie Forest
Buittle Castle
7stanes Mountain Bike Trail

Kirkcudbright

Kirkcudbright has a picturesque harbour and is a haven for small fishing boats. Medieval, Georgian, and Victorian buildings, pastel-coloured houses and numerous flowerbeds line the streets in Kirkcudbright.

In the centre of town, you will find the forbidding ruins of the 16th-century tower house MacLellan’s Castle. Nearby is Broughton House, an impressive Georgian townhouse with some lovely Japanese Gardens.

Kirkcudbright is known as a centre for craft workers and artists. Tolbooth Art Centre tells stories of Kirkcubright’s artists’ colony.

The Stewarty Museum is a 19th-century museum filled with local social artefacts and natural history exhibits.

Dundrennan Abbey is a 12th-century ruin located southwest of Kirkcudbright. This is believed to be where Mary Queen of Scots spent her last night in Scotland.

Things to do in Kirkcudbright

MacLellan’s Castle
Tolbooth Art Centre
Stewarty Museum
Harbour Cottage Gallery
Dundrennan Abbey

Annan

Annan is located on the east side of River Annan and was first established as a riverport in the 14th century. In the 19th century, shipbuilding, engineering and whisky distilling were the main industries.

Later in the 20th century, the knitwear and pharmaceutical industry began to grow. Visitors can wander through the town and view the large red sandstone buildings that line the main street.

Devil’s Porridge is a museum located a 10-minute drive from Annan. The story of how Devil’s Porridge, an explosive is made in the HM Factory Gretna, the greatest munitions factory on earth in World War I.

Things to do in Annan

Devils Porridge
Annan Museum

Castle Douglas

Castle Douglas is a planned late 18th century located in the Glenkens in the heart of Dumfries and Galloway. It is well known for the good quality food and drink that is enjoyed here.

Nearby, Carlingwark Loch is dotted with islands. This is the perfect place to enjoy boating and picnicking.

Threave Castle is a ruined 14th-century castle located on an island on the River Dee. Threave House and Gardens is a lovely garden cared for by the National Trust for Scotland.

Finally, visitors can head to Threave Wildfowl Refuge which is nearby. This is an important place for wintering wildfowl, where visitors may watch the birds from hides during the winter months.

Things to do in Castle Douglas

Loch Ken
Carlingwark Loch
Threave Castle
Threave House & Gardens
Threave Wildfowl Refuge

Sanquhar

The town of Sanquhar is known for producing knitwear. Sanquhar is located in Nith Valley and is surrounded by wonderful scenery.

Visitors can learn more about the knitwear history at the Tolbooth Museum. The Tolbooth Museum is set in a Georgian townhouse which was previously a courthouse and 18th-century gaol.

Sanquhar Castle is a 13th-century castle which is located on the edge of town. It is believed that the oldest post office in the world is located in Sanquhar. The post office opened in 1712.

Crawick Multiverse is a land art project which is nearby to Sanquhar. Previously the site was a coal mine and it was transformed into an incredible art space.

Things to do in Sanquhar

Tolbooth Museum
Sanquhar Castle
Crawick Multiverse

Newton Stewart

Newton Stewart is a lovely destination and is not far from the coast, forest and mountains. The small market town is located on the banks of the River Cree, surrounded by the Galloway Hills.

Previously, the town thrived on the cotton and carpet industries. Nowadays, the River Cree is a bonus for the salmon and trout fishing industry.

Newton Stewart is a great place to base yourself for a hike to walk in nature. The Galloway Forest Park has some great biking trails and some dramatic scenery.

Cairnsmore of Fleet is located to the east and rises steeply to 711 metres.

To the north of Newton Stewart is Merrick which stands at 843 metres. Merrick is the highest mountain in southern Scotland.

Things to do in Newton Stewart

Cairnsmore of Fleet
Merrick
Galloway Forest Park
River Cree

Moffat

The town of Moffat has a range of historic architecture. At the start of the 17th century, Moffat was a wool trade town before becoming a spa town in the 19th century.

It is believed the oldest hostelry in Scotland, Black Bull Inn, was built in 1568 and stands in Moffat. The inventor of the ‘macadamisation’ process of laying roads – John McAdam’s grave stands in the Old Churchyard in Moffat.

Moffat is a great place to base yourself for walking and hiking. There is a section of the long-distance walking path Southern Upland Way near Moffat.

Moffat is the nearest town to Grey Mare’s Tail Nature Reserve. This area encompasses beautiful walking opportunities including Grey Mare’s Tail Waterfall, Loch Skeen and Mid Craig.

Things to do in Moffat

Southern Upland Way
Grey Mares Tail Nature Reserve

Wigtown

Wigtown was the medieval capital of the region, there was a bust harbour, castle and a priory. Nowadays, it is known as Scotland’s National Book Town and is the gateway to the Machar Peninsula.

There is a large square in the centre of town. Also, you can find two market crosses and houses painted in different colours. The town has a wide range of bookshops and places to eat.

Bladnoch Distillery and visitor centre have been a working distillery since 2002. Torhouse Stone Circle is a bronze-age stone circle consisting of 19 boulders.

Wigtown Bay Visitor Centre has live TV images of the Galloway Ospreys and the wetlands at Wigtown Bay Local Nature Reserve.

Things to do in Wigtown

Bladnoch Distillery
Torhouse Stone Circle
Wigtown Bay Local Nature Reserve

Thornhill

Thornhill is a village located between Dumfries and Sanquhar. People have lived in the Thornhill area since Roman times.

Just north of Thornhill is the 17th-century Drumlanrig Estate. The turreted mansion is now home to the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry.

Things to do in Thornhill

Drumlanrig Castle

Portpatrick

Located on the western shore of the Rhins of Galloway peninsula is a lovely seaside town. Also, it is a gorgeous holiday resort.

Portpatrick was the main port for travellers who were coming to and from Ireland on steam packet boats. This town was the ‘Gretna Green’ in Ireland where underage people from Ireland would come to tie the knot.

Portpatrick has the most picturesque old harbour with a rocky entrance. Today, it is still busy with small trawlers, yachts and boats.

One of the other options includes walking along the cliffs to Dunskey Castle. The picturesque ruins of 16th-century Dunskey Castle are located on a rocky outcrop which pokes out into the Irish Sea.

Things to do in Portpatrick

Southern Upland Way
Dunskey Castle

Gretna

Gretna Green is well known for where a being who was underage to marry in England would come to Scotland to get married. England’s marriage rules were a lot stricter than Scotland, where you can get married without parental consent when you are 16 or older.

Gretna is a modern village a short distance away from Gretna Green. This village is an example of 20th-century town planning and was built to house munition workers during the First World War.

The houses are spaciously laid out, have a large green and follow a simple neo-Georgian style.

Things to do in Gretna

Devil’s Porridge

Wanlockhead

Wanlockhead is known for being Scotland’s highest village located in the Lowther Hills. This town is a former mining village located near the Mennock Pass and on the Southern Upland Way walking trail.

The Museum of Lead Mining explores the past of the industry and visitors can go down a former working mine. Detailed records of mining operations are in the Miner’s Library.

Straitsteps Cottages allows visitors to see how people in Wanlockhead lived and worked.

A segment of Britain’s highest railway lies between Wanlockhead and Leadhills. Trips are available for visitors during the summer at the weekends.

Things to do in Wanlockhead

Museum of Lead Mining
Straithsteps Cottage
Leadhills and Wanlockhead Light Railway

Langholm

Langholm is located on the River Esk. The River Esk is well known for Salmon fishing and there are great scenic walking opportunities.

In the centre of town, you will find the Buccleuch Centre. The Buccleuch Centre is a venue which brings performers from across the globe to the town.

What are the main towns in Dumfries & Galloway?

Dumfries is the main town in Dumfries and Galloway with a population of 46,500 people.

Stranraer is the second biggest town in Dumfries and Galloway with a population of approximately 10,100 people.

Annan is the third largest settlement with a population of approximately 9,000 people.

How Many towns are in Dumfries & Galloway?

There are 17 towns in Dumfries and Galloway.

What is the biggest town in Dumfries and Galloway?

The biggest town in Dumfries and Galloway is Dumfries. Dumfries has a population of 46,500 people.

Final Note

This post lists the best towns and villages in Dumfries and Galloway to visit. There are plenty of attractions to enjoy including museums, ruined castles, lochs, distilleries and hills.

There are some unique villages in Dumfries and Galloway. Some are traditional market towns and others are surrounded by breath taking scenery.

There are lovely seaside towns and harbours in Dumfries and Galloway. Also, there is a book town, a town known for artists and Scotland’s highest village.

The South West Coastal 300 is a long-distance tourist route which showcases the best attractions in the towns and villages in Dumfries and Galloway.