Holiday rentals and lettings in Dumfries and Galloway

With fascinating Victorian gardens and a country park, Drumlanrig Castle on the Queensberry Estate in the heart of the stunning Nithsdale countryside is one of Scotland's most important Renaissance buildings. This 17th-century castle has 120 magnificent rooms housing French furniture, porcelain collections, and exquisite art. As well as visiting the castle, there are numerous walking trails through the magical woodlands of Drumlanrig. The wild landscapes of the estate are home to animals such as otters and red squirrels. Drumlanrig has also been the setting for the Netflix series Outlander.

Covering some 75,000 hectares, Galloway Forest Park, in southwest Scotland, is the UK's and Europe's first Dark Sky Park. Light pollution is so minimal that it has been listed in the world's darkest places. Within the 300 square miles of the park, so few people live that you can see a night as black as ink with over 7,000 stars and planets. Visibility is usually clear enough to see meteors, constellations, and the Milky Way.

Surrounded by a tranquil setting and woodland, Mabie offers a unique mountain biking experience with gentle trails, easy tracks, and more challenging trails for more experienced riders such as the Phoenix Trail. The Dark side, away from the main trails, is a black grade trail, so is for experts only. In the heart of Dumfriesshire, you can also find world-class mountain biking and cycling routes for all levels. On the other hand, Ae Forest, north of Dumfries is a popular downhill venue with varied routes and an extreme downhill section for experts.

With a fascinating variety of species, Castle Kennedy's gardens are a habitat and sanctuary with woodland, lakes, and hundreds of rare and exotic plants. As well as wild birds, foxes, hedgehogs, and otters. The gardens are one of Scotland's many treasures and one of the most romantic and popular in the country. On the other hand, Logan Botanic Gardens, located in the southwest corner of Scotland, is unrivalled as Scotland's most exotic garden. The place is a nature lover's delight and is home to a collection of unusual plants from South and Central America, Southern Africa, and Australasia that gives it a warm tropical ambience.

Perched on the edge of a 260-foot cliff, the Mull of Galloway lighthouse is Scotland's most southerly point and a must-see attraction on your holiday to the region. Climb the 115 steps of the lighthouse, appreciate the views of Scotland, England, the Isle of Man, and Northern Ireland from the top, and receive a Certificate of Achievement for climbing to the top! After the climb, you can relax in the café at the top of the cliff. Visits to the lighthouse are by guided tour.

Cream o' Galloway is a favourite stop for families to spend the day. Try the ice cream and enjoy the delicious flavours. You can choose from over 20 flavours of sorbets and ice creams with sauces, toppings, and wafers. During the summer, learn how to make ice cream and cheese with the help of experts. Create your dream ice cream, invent new flavour combinations and add a liqueur if you wish. This is one of the best places to enjoy and create ice cream in Scotland.

Set on the beautiful shores of tranquil Loch Ken, Galloway Activity Centre offers a range of land and water-based activities that you'll love. Grab a paddle and kayak the waters, feel the water beneath your feet windsurfing, climb to the top of the climbing tower, practice archery, have a laser gun battle, and experience the variety of inflatables at the Wobby water park. The activity centre has sessions suitable for everyone!

Moat Brae House and Garden is the Georgian house where JM Barrie lived in Dumfries and wrote the hit play Peter Pan. Visit the enchanted gardens that inspired Neverland and explore the birthplace of this avant-garde of children's literature. The site is now a national centre for children's literature and storytelling, often visited by all ages. You can relive your childhood fantasies, catch Peter Pan's shadow and even dress up in costume.

Located between Dumfries and New Abbey, spend a day at Mabie Farm Park. The site is home to a multitude of animals and activities for all the family. Pet, feel the soft fur, feed the animals, and have a picnic overlooking the Solway Firth. The farm is 77 hectares with plenty of space to enjoy the fresh air and gentle animals such as horses, alpacas, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, and many others! There is also a Tearoom with cakes to sweeten your day.