Designs Gallery and Cafe in Castle Douglas is a little gem of a cafe and quality gift shop. They have a great selection of vegetarian lunch option and amazing cakes and pastries with excellent tea and coffee.
The staff are very efficient and really friendly …
The Isle of Whithorn is not actually an island, although it was once. It was connected to the mainland back in 1790 by what is now the harbour and its buildings. It is famous for its connection with St. Ninian the first saint to bring Christianity to Britain around AD320s.
The CatStrand is an unassuming building in New Galloway but it’s actually a modern arts venue and community centre and best of all it’s just 30 away from Otter Cottage.
If you thought your holiday meant giving up on cultural evenings . . . think again!!
The Gem Rock Museum is in Creetown only 10 minutes drive along the A75 from Otter Cottage.
This is a unique family collection of gemstones, crystals, minerals, rocks and fossils. It is a small museum set over 3 rooms, the museum, the gift shop and the cafe but there is a lot packed into this small space.
For the truly romantic amongst you, Sweetheart Abbey is a lovely red sandstone ruin from the late 13th century and is just over an hours from Otter Cottage in Newton Stewart. The Abbey of Dulce Cor as it is properly called is a Cistercian monastery and was founded by Lady Dervorgilla of Galloway. Wife of Lord John Balliol, this grieving widow is said to have carried around his embalmed heart…
A 40 minute drive from Otter Cottage gets you to the Isle of Whithorn and it is well signposted to the carpark for St Niaiians Cave.
It is a nice half hour walk approximately 3/4 of a mile down from the car park on a rough track through the beautiful woods but be prepared it can be quite muddy at times especially on the lower trail.
Castle Douglas is a delightfully busy wee town and only 40 minutes drive from Otter Cottage. The town is known as the Food Town and as such has a great selection of cafes and restaurants that serve fantastic local produce.
There is a good range of quality shops which are well worth a wander around including Interior design, Home Ware, Art Galleries …
Wigtown is just a 15 minutes drive from Otter Cottage. Known as Scotland’s National Book Town, it won it’s title back in 2014 and has thrived on it ever since. There are loads of book shops in such a small town and even the cafes and gift shops sell books too. ’The Bookshop’ boast to be Scotland’s largest second-hand bookshop with over 100,00 books with over a mile of shelving …
Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival is a fantastic weekend in July filled full of great traditional and acoustic music. It happens in and around the town in a range of venues from street busking to ticked events with top headline acts. Whether you like to soak yourself in traditional music or just fancy catching the odd band, there is something for everyone.
In 1998 Wigtown was officially designated as Scotland’s National Book Town and in 1999 The Wigtown Book Festival was born. It has become not only a celebration of literature but of music, film and theatre with many famous authors, journalists, politicians and celebrities taking to the stage. It’s a ten day event usually in the autumn each year.
Newton Stewart is a small town in Dumfries and Galloway it sits at the base of the Galloway Forest Park and is central to many of the small town between Dumfries to the east and Stranraer to the west, making it an ideal holiday location.
The Earths Crust Bakery in Castle Douglas is just a superb little bakery. They do fantastic real bread, slow-fermented, really good healthy stuff and with a couple of options for gluten-free.
The cafe has a rustic, unpolished feel. It is unpretentious and quite quirky …
The Ship Inn in Gatehouse of Fleet has a really nice restaurant called 1 Fleet Street. To look at this place from the outside you would be forgiven for thinking it was just a local pub serving standard pub grub but surprisingly it is a little more fine dining than you would expect. The interior has recently had an overhaul and has a spacious open plan layout …
Portpatrick is very attractive little fishing village just 45 minute drive from Otter Cottage. The main feature is its delightful little harbour where everyone flocks to on a beautiful day. There are several hotels along the front that offer good food and drink. There are two gift shops The Smugglers Cove and the Lighthouse Pottery both of which…
Mull of Galloway lighthouse set right on the edge of Scotland’s most southern point siting 260 ft. above sea level and it’s only an hours drive from Otter Cottage. This is a lovely drive both peaceful and tranquil and you won’t be disappointed with the destination. The approach up to the lighthouse is quite something …
Kirroughtree Visitors Centre is just 10 minute by car from Otter Cottage. This forest park is a great location for all ages offering both forest walking and bike trails.
Glentrool Visitors Centre is about 10 minutes drive from Otter Cottage. This is a beautiful area for both walkers and mountain bikers.
Port William is a lovely wee fishing village approximately 15 minutes drive from Otter Cottage. If you visit Port William and are looking for a coffee you will no doubt spot a big blue metal building at the harbour, this is The View…
Fantastic beach just a short drive (approx 20 mins) from Newton Stewart. Mossyard is a working farm with a caravan site set right on the coast, not far from Gatehouse of Fleet.
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