20 Attractions to Explore Near Southerness Lighthouse

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.

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

Mersehead is an extensive wetland and saltmarsh area, a haven for breeding waders, wintering waterfowl and year-round bird and wildlife-watching. Spring is particularly magical, when the wet meadows fill with lapwings and skylarks. One of the iconic location where you can spend some nice time in the middle of nature.

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.

Sandyhills is a large sandy beach near Dalbeattie on the Dumfries and Galloway coastline. The beach lives up to its name and at low tide has a vast expanse of sand, backed by gentle sand dunes. The beach is the perfect spot for a walk, a paddle or a picnic. The beach can be very busy in the summer but nearby walks and attractions provide other opportunities to enjoy the local countryside.

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.

Hestan Island is a small coastal island at the southern foot of the River Urr estuary in the Solway Firth, in the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. This small island measures approximately 460 by 270 metres and at its highest elevation sits at just over 50 metres above sea level. Hestan Island is one of 43 tidal islands that can be walked to from the mainland of Great Britain and one of 17 that can be walked to from the Scottish mainland.

Orchardton Tower is an unusual free-standing round tower, the only one of its type in Scotland. It operated as a fortified residence for a nobleman named John Cairns, who may have acquired the land after James II’s overthrow of the Douglases in 1455. is remarkable as the only cylindrical tower house in Scotland. Orchardton Tower is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

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.

Buittle Castle, also known historically as Botle or Botel Castle, is a ruined castle in Galloway, south-west Scotland. It is located in the valley of the River Urr, 1 kilometre west of Dalbeattie. The castle is within the parish of Buittle, in the traditional county of Kirkcudbrightshire and is a scheduled ancient monument. The ruins remained in the possession of the Maxwells of Munches until 1984 when they were gifted to Balliol College, Oxford by Peter Maxwell QC of Munches himself a Balliol

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.

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.

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.

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.

Threave House was built by William Gordon, a Liverpool businessman who had bought the Threave Estate as a summer home for his extensive family in 1867. He preferred this location for the house to the lower parts of the estate extending to the River Dee and including Threave Island and Threave Castle. There is also a visitor centre and plant centre. The wider estate is managed as a nature reserve and is home to bats and ospreys, and includes part of the Loch Ken and River Dee Marshes Special Prot

Threave Garden is a series of gardens owned and managed by the National Trust for Scotland, which is rich in diversity, with areas such as an informal rose garden, a wildflower meadowland and a one acre walled garden with a temperate glasshouse collection. It is also well known for its great displays of daffodils. The garden also feature many champion trees from around the world.