The home of my fathers, or specifically, my maternal grandfather is oft forgotten, strangely ignored and frequently overlooked in any trawl around the United Kingdom. And yet this one corner of the Scottish Borders has me returning time and time again like a prodigal son.
Genetics is a strange thing. Like all of us I had four grandparents and yet I could only tell you where one of them hailed from. If you asked me which one I was most like I would have no idea, but if you asked me which one I most identified with I would tell you instantly it was my mother’s father – James Ferguson, son of William Ferguson, son of William Ferguson. One and all border-country men. One and all hailing from the beauty that is our Solway Coast.
My grandfather was born on the Solway Coast and lived there until his father presented him with a £10 pound note and told him to go and buy an engagement ring. A wedding match had been arranged. Not keen on the match James spent the £10 on a train ticket to London and as a consequence spent most of his life away from the land of his birth, but upon reaching retirement he returned with a bride of his own choice to live out the remainder of his days.
Fortunately for his young grand children his retirement days were to be long and rewarding and so were the numerous family holidays our family enjoyed twice a year at his home in Kirkcudbright. Over long summer holidays we got to know the surrounding region visiting some of his 15 brothers and sisters.
For me the Solway Coast evokes many images: rolling green countryside that the Fergusons worked and farmed; frozen in time market towns and small villages where they lived; sandy beaches where they played; and picturesque harbours where a returning trawlerman would often proffer a part of his catch for some favour owed to a brother’s cousin’s niece’s husband.
Despite the occasional midges and the more frequent rain I have no hesitation in recommending the Solway Coast, below I will highlight some of the area’s attractions, but take my advice and give it a try, it hasn’t changed that much since I started visiting some 35 years ago. But, truthfully the main reason to visit the area is that it is a designated Area of Outstanding beauty and you can be sure it has something for everyone. It’s glorious beaches and rolling countryside play host to an incredible number of plants and animals, especially wild birds. For more information on the region’s wildlife the Solway Coast Discovery Centre in Silloth is an excellent place to start. The centre also has extensive information on walks with local experts.
Situated in the bottom Western corner of Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway is an unspoilt county and the poetic heart of a countryside with ample destinations for great day trips. Steeped in lore and legend, the area has attractions that are ancient and modern, small and grand. Notable places to visit include all the attractions on the Robert Burns trail, Threave castle and the wonderful Castle Kennedy Gardens.
The are has never been avant garde, mobile phone reception is intermittent and with the majority of roads being lined by dairy farms cows seem to outnumber the human population with a comfortable majority. Most distinctive of all the bovine inhabitants are the Belted Galloways, with their broad white belt dividing their torsos.
My grandfather’s place of retirement was the town of Kirkcudbright, perched on the banks of the River Nith, known today as the Artists’ Town – and an amble around it’s streets will explain the nomenclature.
Kirkcudbright, along with castle Douglas, Gatehouse of Fleet, Newton Stewart and Creetown all share another claim to fame. They have all been used for locations for the 1973 film “The Wicker Man”. Dundrennan, a short way down the road from Kirkcudbright, now plays host annually to the Wicker man Music festival, and is reminiscent of how Glastonbury used to be, recent headlining acts have included Fun Loving Criminals, The Orb, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jah Wobble and Gary Numan.
But if music festivals aren’t your cup of tea then there is plenty more to do: golfing, walking, fishing, shooting opportunities scatter the countryside as do historic castles. Once upon a time Dumfries and Galloway were part of the frontline against an expansionist England. Caerlaverock castle today is the host of re-enactment battles but was laid siege to by Edward I at the turn of the 14th century.
Harking back to my own school holidays the entertainment was limited, but in the tourist high season there were always the occasional organised farm walks and the highlight of the local tourist season calender – the Kirkcudbright tattoo.
Nowadays the tourist calendar has extended considerably and some of the more notable attractions include:
June
Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival
July
Annual Riding of the Marches Ceremony
Galloway Children’s Festival
August
Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail
Bladnoch Folk and Blues festival
Gaelforce festival
Galloway Country Fair
Kippford Craft fair
Moffat Show
North West Dumfries Muckle Doo
Portpatrick Folk Festival
Scottish Alternative Games
St. Ninian Festival
The Border gathering
The Kirkcudbright Tattoo
September
Creetown Country Music Festival
Dalbeatie Rock Weekend
Dumfries Film Festival
Gaelforce festival
Moniaive Action project
Morris and Mummers
Robert Burns Festival
St. Ninian Festival
Wigtown Literary Book Town Festival
October
Gaelforce festival
Hightae Annual Craft fair
Lockerbie Jazz Festival
Moffat Walking Festival
Tango Extravaganza
Wigtown Literary Book Town Festival
November
Moffat Christmas festival
December
Mabie Fayre
However, no matter when you visit there is bound to be a local attraction on your doorstep. Below you will find a list of attractions by location:
Caerlaverock
Caerlaverock Castle
Wildfowl & Wetland Trust
Canonbie
Gilnockie Tower
Castle Douglas
Brewery Sulwath Brewers Ltd.
Cardoness castle
Cream O’Galloway
Mill On The Fleet
Old Buitle Tower
Orchardton Tower
Threave Castle and Gardens
Creetown
Carsluith castle
Dalbeatie
Drumcoltran Tower
Dumfries
Arbigland
Burns House
Mersehead Nature Reserve
New Abbey Corn Mill
Robert Burns Centre
Sweetheart Abbey
Dundrennan
The Wicker Man Festival
Dundrennan Abbey
Kirkcudbright
Broughton House and Garden
Galloway Hydros Visitor centre
Harbour Cottage Gallery
MacLellan’s Castle
Langholm
Samye Ling Monnastery and Tibetan Centre
Lochmaben
Lochmaben Castle
Lockerbie
Carlyle’s Birthplace
Mossburn Animal Centre
Rammerscales House
Mochrum
Druchtag Motte
Morton
Morton Castle
Newton Stewart
Creetown Exhibition Cenntre
Creetown Gern Museum
Galloway House Gardens
Glenluce Abbey
Glentrool Visitor Centre
Kirroughtree Visitor Centre
Monreith Animal World and Museum
Stranraer
Castle Kennedy Gardens
Thornhill
Drumlanrig Castle, Gardens and Park
Twynholm
Cocoabean Chocolate factory
David Coulthard’s home town and museum
Most of the above charge an admittance fee, but for free entertainment you can (weather permitting) head off to one of the regions fine beaches, such as:
Carrick Shore Beach, near Gatehouse of Fleet
Brighouse Bay beach, near Kirckcudbright
Castle Point beach Rockcliffe
Doon Beach, near Kirckudbright
Kippford beach, Kippford
Mossyard bbeach, near Gatehouse of Fleet
Rockcliffe Beach, Rockcliffe
Cardoness Beach, near Gatehouse of Fleet
Sandgreen Beach, near Gatehouse of Fleet
Sandyhils Beach, near Dalbeatie
Southerness Beach, near Dumfries
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