Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 2 on 5/6/2002.

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Dumfries & Galloway, forget the cliches

Secret? Not for long. Dumfries and Galloway is bursting at the seams with everything to make a family holiday, romantic break or anything in between

It’s often called Scotland’s best-kept secret – even in this issue of Scotland Magazine – but that doesn’t really tell you much about the area or the wealth of places of interest, historic monuments, ruins, castles, important religious sites, beaches, forestry reserves, festivals – you name it, Dumfries and Galloway has it.

Why is it considered to be such a ‘secret’? Mainly because many people see Scotland as beginning with Edinburgh and Glasgow then melting into the Highlands. Perhaps also because, oddly enough, of the shape of the county: there’s really only a fairly narrow area attached to England, but over the border it flares out into 200 miles of coastline. If people had to travel right through it to get to the likes of Edinburgh and Glasgow, perhaps they would know it that much better. But then, perhaps it would lose much of its unspoiled charm and laid-back appeal, details so important to those looking for a break.

A visit to Dumfries and Galloway is a great way to relax, leave the stresses and strains of the city or work behind, and it won’t break the bank. There’s something for everyone, from mountain biking and cycling trails to the succession of almost year-round festivals, hill walking and simply relaxing on one of the many small, secluded beaches and coves.

As you can see from our pictures, it’s a beautiful area – no wonder the BBC used it as a location for the fictional Hebridean island Ronansay in the successful series 2000 Acres Of Sky, filmed in and ar.....

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By Marcin Miller

Section : Regional Focus

Page number : 50