20 Attractions to Explore Near Monreith Animal World

St Ninian's Cave is a natural cave on the southwestern coast of the Machars of Galloway, traditionally associated with St Ninian. It can only be reached by foot and the easiest approach is by walking down an excellent footpath through a leafy glen from Physgill then along the pebbly shore to the cave. There are great views towards the Isle of Man and many opportunities for wildlife spotting – including grey seals.

Whithorn is the site of the earliest Christian community in Scotland, which created the first inscribed Christian monument. One of the country’s earliest Christian communities lived and worshipped here, creating artworks in stone to express their faith. Among them is the oldest Christian monument to have been found in Scotland.

Bladnoch Distillery is one of the oldest Scotch Whisky distilleries in Scotland. It was their 203 year old home where our finest Single Malts are crafted. The visitor centre is excellent and one of the best ways to see how whisky was made in the past. In relation to the Scottish Single Malts the distillery produces they are mostly famous for the Bladnoch 10 Year Old and Bladnoch 15 Year Old.

Carsluith Castle was built by James Lindsay of Fairgirth but later passed into the hands of the Brown (Broun) family who owned it for two hundred years. Explore the well-preserved ruins of a delightful 16th-century tower house and take a look into the life of Scotland’s landed gentry after the Protestant Reformation of 1560.

Cairn Holy I is the more elaborate of the two tombs. Its curving façade of standing stones once formed a backdrop to a forecourt in front of the tomb. Excavations show fires were lit here, possibly for ritual ceremonies. The tomb itself consisted of an outer and an inner compartment. The inner compartment was built as a closed box, and was probably originally roofed by a great stone slab. The outer compartment was entered through the façade.

Set in some of the most stunning scenery in Scotland, this family-run holiday park offers a prime location and superb facilities, including fitness facilities, swimming pool and gym, several licensed bars, Bistro and a well-stocked Convenience Store. You can enjoy dramatic views overlooking beautiful Wigtown Bay and panoramas of miles of unspoilt landscape, award-winning Auchenlarie Holiday Park is committed to continuously improving and developing with the sole goal of providing you with a fant

Mossyard is a small, sandy beach, slightly less than 100 meters long; located next to the Mossyard Holiday Park it sits at the northern end of the mouth of Fleet Bay. The beach is popular for boating, and small boats can be launched from the shore.

The Gem Rock Museum is home to many fine and rare examples of crystals found in Britain, as well as a brilliant set of exquisitely cut replicas of the world’s largest diamonds. The museum is more than just a static display - it is a fully interactive experience which the whole family will enjoy: see the AV 'Fire in the Stones' audio-visual display, explore the amazing Crystal Cave, relax in the Professor's Study or test your knowledge with a geology quiz.

A beautiful and small sandy beach separated from the rest of the much larger Fleet Bay to the north by a rocky headland which is about 200 meters long. It offers excellent views of the surrounding wild and mountainous headlands and coastline.The sheltered bay, about 100 meters wide, can be used for bathing and water sports such as canoeing. However, most visitors come to the area for the fantastic walking opportunities.

Carrick Shore enjoys a unique rural setting and provides a romantic hideaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. This delightful group of shingle and sand beaches is well off the beaten track. At low tide you can walk out from here to Ardwall Isle with its chapel and cemetery dating from around 700. Further offshore are Murray's Isles, two small uninhabited islands, home in the summer months to several thousand herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls plus 90 pairs of cormorants, th

Kirroughtree Forest is located near Newton Stewart in Dumfries and Galloway, southwest Scotland and overlooks the Irish Sea. It is managed by Forestry and Land Scotland and is part of the Galloway Forest Park. It has been developed as a centre for mountain biking trails. Palnure Burn is a small river which runs through the forest and on into the River Cree. The forest is home to red squirrels, red deer and ospreys.

Cardoness Castle was built in the later 1400s as the fortified residence of the McCullochs and is a fine example of a Scottish tower house castle. It was originally owned by the MacCullochs of Myreton. They abandoned the castle in the late 17th century, following the execution of Sir Godfrey McCulloch for the murder of a Clan Gordon neighbour. It is now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland, and is a scheduled monumen

Glenluce Abbey was founded around 1190 - 1192 by Cistercian Monks and it follows the standard architectural layout of a Cistercian Abbey. Glenluce is one of several Cistercian abbeys scattered around Scotland, but it has the unique feature of an advanced piped water supply. The ruins were consolidated and partly restored in 1898 by the Glasgow architect, Peter MacGregor Chalmers.[7] They are a scheduled ancient monument.

The Mill on the Fleet is a restored 18th century cotton mill. It is now an exhibition centre with core displays on the history and heritage of Gatehouse and the Fleet Valley. The water wheel on the gable end was used to drive the machinery to spin the cotton. Following various changes in ownership and fortune both mills finally ceased trading in the 1930s. In the 1980s the mill was restored by Dumfries and Galloway Council and opened to the public in 1991

Logan Botanic Garden is located at the south-western tip of Scotland and is unrivaled as the country's most exotic garden. You candiscover a remarkable collection of unusual and beautiful plants. A pleasure for all the family, Logan is an exotic paradise. Visitors can walk through groves of eucalyptus and palm trees or stand in the shade of awesome giant rhubarb-like gunnera.

Logan Fish Pond is situated in Port Logan Bay between the village itself and Logan Botanic Garden. The history of this unique attraction dates all the way back to 1788 when the Laird of Logan created a fish larder for Logan House. The pond was complete by 1800. The water is filtered naturally by the tides twice a day. Fish were bought locally from fishermen and the pond was used as a larder for the live fish. The gatehouse which is believed to have been built at the same time as the pond is an a

Glenwhan Gardens has been described as one of the most beautiful newly made gardens in Scotland. with unique & Stunning Sea Views across to the Isle of Man, Luce Bay, and the Mull of Galloway. The Gardens are a labour of love, hewn from rough moorland 35 years ago. It has a woodland and rock garden, overlooking Luce Bay and the Mull of Galloway. In the centre of the garde, there is a statue of Florentine Medici Boar, a symbol of fertility.

Dhoon, sometimes known as Goat Well Bay, is a small sandy beach situated in a pleasant, wooded area looking out onto Nun Mill Bay at the mouth of the River Dee. The water is relatively shallow, and there are plenty of rock pools which can be fun to explore. The area is popular for walking, with the Senwick Shore walk easily accessed from the beach to the south of the car park.

Cairnsmore of Fleet National Nature Reserve is one of the wildest places in south-west Scotland – but is still surprisingly accessible. It’s a paradise for walkers, with panoramic views over a patchwork landscape of muted colours. It is home to the most extensive area of open moorland in Galloway, and has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The summit and eastern flanks of the mountain are designated as a national nature reserve, which is managed by NatureScot

The Wood of Cree is the largest ancient wood in southern Scotland. In spring, it comes alive, with bluebells on the ground and the sound of pied flycatchers and warblers in the air. It is also the perfect place to see willow tits, as well as barn and tawny owls. Consisting of about 690 acres, it is Southern Scotland's largest ancient woodland, and is home to around 113 bird species. It is also considered one of the best bluebell carpet sites in Scotland.