20 Attractions to Explore Near Dumfries & Galloway Aviation Museum

Gracefield Arts Centre is located in Dumfries. The gallery's main building, a Category B listed building, was bought in 1951 by a committee of local people. The gallery houses a collection of over 600 Scottish paintings and also It holds a varied and dynamic schedule of exhibitions throughout the year featuring work by local, national and international artist and makers and selected exhibitions from our permanent art collection.

Scotland’s national bard spent his last years in this simple sandstone house that is a key pilgrimage site for Burns' enthusiast from around the world. Over the years it has attracted many famous visitors including the poets Wordsworth, Coleridge and Keats. View original manuscripts and some of Burns’ personal belongings. See his desk and chair in the study where he created some of his finest works.

Dock Park is a great children's play area set within picturesque grounds. A range of other activities are also available whatever your age, including tennis, bowling, putting and trampolining. The park is landscaped, and contains an interesting sunken garden that used to be an old quarry, and was the source of the sandstone for the Mid Steeple. It is also the site of a former castle for Robert the Bruce, and there is a sandstone plaque marking the spot.

Dumfries Museum tells the story of the land and people of the region. Look out for fossil footprints left by prehistoric animals, the wildlife of the Solway, tools and weapons of our earliest people, stone carvings by Scotland’s first Christians and the everyday things of the Victorian farm, workshop and home. The museum also has the world's oldest working Camera Obscura. Admission is free, however a small fee applies for the Camera Obscura.

The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is a 30 acre sculpture garden located at Portrack House, near Dumfries in South West Scotland. It was created by Charles Jencks, a renowned landscape architect and theorist, and Maggie Keswick, his late wife. They chose their home, Portrack House, to be the location for their dream. The sculpture garden covers 30 acres and has an unusual design, which was inspired by contemporary cosmology, just like much of Charles Jencks’ works.

Mabie Farm Park extends to approximately 54 acres, with an excellent arrangement of play sheds, animal housing and outdoor activities and is for sale due to ill health.Mabie Farm Park offers over 5,000 square feet of indoor play area and represents a fantastic day out for the whole family.

This was the family home built by Robert Burns in 1788 for his bride Jean Armour. Set picturesquely on the banks of the River Nith, Burns could not have chosen a more idyllic spot. The complex is a museum in the farm Robert Burns built, lived in and farmed from 1788 until 1791.

Lochmaben Castle is a ruined castle in the town of Lochmaben, the feudal Lordship of Annandale, and the united county of Dumfries and Galloway. It was built by Edward I in the 13th and 14th centuries, and later rebuilt during the reign of James IV of Scotland. An earlier motte-and-bailey castle was built south of the current castle in c. 1160 by the Bruce family, Lords of Annandale.

Castle Loch is a shallow eutrophic loch covering an area of around 100 hectares in the town of Lochmaben in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It lies to the west of Mochrum Loch and has 2 islets. The ruined Lochmaben Castle lies at the southern end of the loch. Castle Loch is an important over-wintering location for the pink-footed goose and the goosander. It has been recognised as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, and has been designated a Site of Special Scienti

Sweetheart Abbey was founded in 1273 by Lady Devorgilla of Galloway in memory of her husband John Balliol. When she died, she was buried with her husband’s embalmed heart and her tomb is in the Abbey’s sanctuary. The village which stands next to the ruins today, is now known as New Abbey. At the other end of the main street is Monksmill, a corn mill. Although the present buildings date from the late 18th century, there was an earlier mill built by and for the monks of the abbey which serviced th

New Abbey Corn Mill is a well-kept secret in the village of New Abbey, five miles south of Dumfries. The corn mill as an attraction is rather overshadowed by Sweetheart Abbey, whose impressive ruins dominate the west end of the village. The 18th-century mill is much more than a time capsule of the miller’s craft: it is still put to work to show how oatmeal is made. The mill is still in full working order and on most summer day visitors can see it run as it would have all of those years ago.

Caerlaverock Castle is a moated triangular castle first built in the 13th century. It is located on the southern coast of Scotland. With its moat, twin towered gatehouse and imposing battlements, this awe-inspiring castle is the epitome of the medieval stronghold and one of the finest castles in Scotland. The castle, which is protected as a scheduled monument, is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland, and is a popular tourist attraction.

WWWT Caerlaverock is wetland nature reserve in southwest Scotland, one of nine reserves in Britain operated by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust founded by Sir Peter Scott. WWT Caerlaverock It covers a 587 hectares site at Eastpark Farm, on the north shore of the Solway Firth to the south of Dumfries. It is a wild nature reserve with a network of screened approaches and several observation towers. There is a visitor centre and farmhouse accommodation. The site received 16,105 visitors in 2019.

Housed in an attractive 18th century building, the museum charts the history of the savings bank movement and the role played by the renowned Rev Henry Duncan DD - minister, author, antiquarian, geologist, publisher, philanthropist, artist and businessman.

A beautuiful hill in the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire, Dumfries. It is a prominent feature in many of the views from the northern Lake District on a clear day. It is surrounded by a host of satellites, including Long Fell, Maidenpap and Bainloch Hill. The slopes of Criffel feature the upland vegetation of heather, bog cotton and blaeberry and are inhabited by skylarks. Loch Kindar sits at the foot of the hill. A new path to the summit is currently finishing construction.

Ae Forest is the perfect place to visit, whether you want to relax with a picnic beside the river, watch woodland wildlife, stroll through the trees or burn off some serious energy on horseback or on the superb mountain bike trails. A variety of mountain bike trails have been built as part of Forestry and Land Scotland's 7stanes project that ranges from beginner trails to highly advanced trails. Forest of Ae has also been a staple location for stages in the Scottish Downhill association.

The John Paul Jones Cottage Museum is the historical birth place of “The Father” of the U.S. Navy. This cottage sits on the Arbigland Estate where John Paul Jones grew up. The cottage has been restored to how it would have been when he lived there and features unique artifacts and information from his past. It also features audio presentations about life in the cottage. There is a reconstructed cabin of John Paul Jones' ship Bonhomme Richard, and exhibits about his defeat of HMS Serapis at the B

Annandale Distillery is a whisky distillery producing single malt Scotch whisky in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.The historic distillery has been through 3 whisky making eras and a period when it was used in farming. It was formerly a Johnnie Walker distillery which closed in 1918.

Powillimount Beach is a beach in Dumfries and Galloway. Powillimount Beach is situated south of Arbigland. It offers some spectacular views over the Solway Firth and on a clear day you can see the Lake District. It is a great beach to visit with curious kids as it is full of shells, rock pools and huge rock formations.

This family friendly Annan museum houses a permanent exhibition on the history of Annan and the surrounding area.A beautiful museum housing a permanent exhibition on the history of Annan and the surrounding area. A fascinating journey through time takes visitors from the prehistoric period up to the era of nuclear fission.