Getting to Galloway

and some other interesting notes

Galloway feels like stepping back 20 years in a little over 1 hour from either Glasgow or Edinburgh.

There is a fast transatlantic connection through Manchester and a ferry to Europe via Newcastle.

See below for the various way how to get to Galloway.

Dumfries and Lockerbie railway stations are closest.
Dumfries is 30 minutes away and is on the line between Glasgow and Carlisle.
Lockerbie is 45 mins away and on the main west coast UK line between London Euston and Edinburgh and linked direct with Manchester airport.
Lockerbie is 1 hour from Edinburgh by train and a popular option to reach us. We are able to arrange pick you up at the railway station and transfer to your accommodation.
One easy option to book a ticket online and get the ticket send through to you is The Trainline.
Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle airports are around a 2 hour drive and connect well with Europe.
We suggest after arrival at these airports, take the regular airport bus (or tram) to the city centre - under 30 minutes - and take a train to either Lockerbie or Dumfries from where we can pick you up.
For Trans-Atlantic flights, Manchester is a good option from where a train brings you directly to Lockerbie.
The main A75 road runs through the region.
We are the first place in Scotland as you drive from the north of England, up the M6 and turn left just over the border. From Glasgow or Edinburgh we are a scenic 2 hour drive.
The ferry port of Cairnryan in the west of our region is just over an hour from Castle Douglas. The regular ferries sail from and to Belfast and Larne in Northern Ireland.
You can also arrive at the ferry port in Newcastle or further south to connect with most countries in Europe.
There is an excellent, reliable service from Glasgow to Dumfries, the X74. A comfortable big coach that takes just about 2 hours from Glasgow city centre to the heart of Dumfries.
There are also easy and regular connections from the Glasgow coach station and Edinburgh Airport.
The regular No.500 bus between Dumfries and Stranraer also calls in at Castle Douglas and Gatehouse of Fleet and runs every 2 hours to carry you to or from Ireland.

What is Galloway famous for?

The hole stone

A standing stone with a rare hole in it.

Belted Galloway cattle

It’s believed that the stripy cattle originates from Galloway.

Caerlaverock Castle

Unusual triangular castle from the 13th century that played a crucial role during the wars of Scottish Independence.

Cairnholy

A set of Neolithic tombs and standing stone, one even to believed that of the mythical Scottish king Galdus.

Cup and ring marks

Stone carvings -Old. Very old and no-one knows what they really mean.

James Clerk Maxwell

1831 - 1879, buried at Parton Kirk near Castle Douglas.

Most famous for the theory of electromagnetism.

Silver Flowe

A moving bog land. One of the core areas of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere.

The Wickerman

Not only a fantastic willow sculpture by Trevor Leat, but also a British cult film from 1973 set in Galloway.

John Paul Jones

The father of the US Navy (and the Russian Navy) was born in Galloway.

Kirkpatrick Macmillan

A blacksmith from Keir (near Thornhill) - Inventor of the pedal bike in 1839.

Mull of Galloway

The most southerly point of Scotland.

Robert Burns

Scotland’s national bard died in Dumfries 1796. His farm is nearby in Ellisland. The Globe Inn is a place he frequented regularly during his time here.

St. Ninian

360 AD - died in Whithorn 432 AD . First Saint of Scotland. Lived and worked a few hundred years before St. Columba. His mission was Whithorn.

Galloway Forest Park

Biggest man made forest in Britain.

The Covenanters

The Scottish Covenanters were a religious and political movement in the 17th century. Their believes (Reformed Presbyterian) did not agree with that of the King James VI which resulted in the bloody “Killing Times”.

Ruthwell Cross

Threave Castle

Stronghold for the Black Douglases and Archibald The Grim from 1369 AND for 21 years the castle was the seat of the powerful Margaret, Lady of Galloway.

Wanlockhead

Highest town (and pub) in Scotland.

Annandale Distillery

Established in 1836 by George Donald and also briefly owned by Jonny Walker (1893). Closed in 1924 and bought and reopened in 2014 by Annandale Distillery Company. Award Winning.

Wigtown

The Book Town with the largest second Hand book store in Scotland. Home to the world-famous Wigtown Book Festival.

Getting to Galloway

By Train

By Air

By Car

By Sea

By Coach and getting around

What is Galloway famous for?

Galloway Cycling Holidays