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Events

There are a wide range of events and interesting places to visit locally with music and literature festivals, food and local produce markets, Galloway Forest Park and Dark Sky Park events...the cottages are in the perfect location to base yourselves and enjoy the best of Galloway.

What's On?

Galloway's towns and villages offer much to attract our visitors. Many of these are specifically linked with local interest:

Newton Stewart is known as the Gateway to the Galloway Hills, including the Range of the Awful Hand, Cairnsmore of Fleet and Merrick. It is also a market town, still supported by a weekly cattle mart and offering a selection of shops and cafés.

We are also very proud of our local cinema here, of the Art Nouveau period, which seats about 200 people.

Other nearby towns include Wigtown – Scotland’s Book Town, Castle Douglas - the regions Food Town and Kirkcudbright – the Artist's Town.

In this small area we boast a local brewery, the Sulwath Brewery in Castle Douglas and a Scotland's southern most whiskey distillery at Bladnoch.

Galloway's farming influence is evident in some local delicacies such as the Ice Cream from Cream o' Galloway near Gatehouse-of-Fleet, various specialist cheese makers and the famous Galloway Beef.

Gardens & Wildlife

Galloway offers an abundance of Gardens, which benefit from the warm Gulf stream and located nearby to the many interesting coastal villages, such as Mossyard BeachPortpatrick, Port Logan and Garlieston.

Wildlife is abundant in Galloway. As well as the frequent visitors to the cottage gardens such as the greater-spotted Red Kitewoodpecker and nuthatch, bird-watchers would delight in the local RSPB Nature Reserves. The Galloway Kite Trail offers a guaranteed view of these amazing birds and Galloway’s breeding Ospreys can be observed from a live video link in Wigtown.

Red squirrels are daily visitors around the Estate and the shy roe, and sometimes red, deer can be spied. Galloway is also home to the wild goats and visitors can see them on the hill behind us and at close quarters in the Galloway Goat Park.

Newton Stewart Traditional Music Festival

3-day celebration of traditional music with concerts, workshops, tune and song writing competitions, tune and song session and pipe band in the nearby towns of Minnigaff and Newton Stewart. The festival is held on the 2nd weekend of July every year and now attracts musicians and visitors from all over the world as well as attracting award nominated, award winning and world famous traditional musicians and performers.

Festival Website

Wigtown Book Festival

Wigtown, 10 miles from the cottages, is Scotland's National Book Town and is host to many events throughout the year culminating in the 10 day Wigtown Book Festival in late September / early October featuring leading authors and performers.

Book Festival Website

Walkfest

Based in Newton Stewart, Gateway to the Galloway Hills, this annual week-long festival offers guided walks of all levels. From challenging hill climbs, to coastal walks and forest trails, including some themed and informational opportunities, there is something for everyone in exploring the rugged beauty of Galloway.

Walkfest Website

SpringFling

SpringFling LogoCome and experience the SpringFling. The region's annual open studio event, held over a May weekend, where local artists and craftspeople open their doors. From textiles to furniture, jewellery to photography, oil paintings to metalwork...diverse, original and stunning crafts on offer, and the chance to meet the artists and makers themselves.

SpringFling Website

View local artists websites:

Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival

Featuring national and international musicians, both groups and individual performers, this annual event in June is held in different venues throughout the 'Artists Town'.

Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival Website

History

There are also many historic houses, castles and country parks in the area. One of the most visited castles in the country is Culzean Castle over the border in Ayrshire, and well worth a day's excursion.

Visitor Attractions

Other visitor attractions include museums, craft workshops and galleries. Festivals and other regular calendar events are held annually throughout the Galloway region.