Newton Stewart Accommodation

Southern Upland Way, Dumfries and Galloway

Southern Upland Way Tourist Information

The Southern Upland Way stretches for 212 miles (340km) from Portpatrick on the far West coast of Dumfries and Galloway (on the Rhinns of Galloway) to the North East coast and Cocksburnspath. This is Scotland's longest National Walking Trail, and as it winds across the Southern Uplands it takes in a large chunk of the northern area of Galloway Forest Park past Bargrennan, Clatteringshaws then on up towards Sanquhar.

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For walking holidays in the Galloway Forest Park, there are three websites which offer particularly useful maps, information and guides on walking routes and trails. See websites for the Galloway Mountain Rescue Team, Newton Stewart Walking Festival and the Southern Uplands Way all linked right. The Galloway Mountain Rescue Team website is particularly good for specific walk guides, collating not just maps of the walk, but up-to-date weather reports and photographs. See their Route 1, The Mighty Merrick via the Gairland Burn walk guide which you can print out with map.

Featured Scotland Accommodation

Carrick Cottages - Gatehouse of Fleet

Sleeps 4-9 a selection of self catering cottages in various locations along Carrick and Brighouse Bay most with sea views. Family friendly and pets welcome.

£260 to £660 Per Week (Seasonal)

The Southern Upland Way

The Southern Upland Way stretch from Bargrennan to Clatteringshaws (the chunk of the Galloway Forest Park) is 17.5 miles long and affords stunning views from high ground in the Loch Trool area. This is a particularly challenging stretch of the Southern Uplands Way and many walkers break the journey staying in the New Galloway area before heading onto the next section upto Sanquhar. Many shorter walks/trails link into the Southern Uplands Way (see the website right for details).

The contact point for the Southern Uplands Way is based at Dalry near Castle Douglas - Southern Upland Way, 26 Main Street, Dalry, Castle Douglas, Scotland. DG7 3UW.Tel. 0870 835 8448.

Checkout the Southern Uplands Way website right for a comprehensive guide to Scotland's longest marked national trail.

Walking Holidays & Activities

If you're finding walking around Skiddaw and the Lake District a bit packed these days, then consider the Galloway Hills for equally challenging and beautiful walking and climbing, yet still relatively remote. Alongside the Cambrian Mountains in Mid-Wales, the Galloway Forest Park remains one of the UK best kept walking secrets!

Mountain biking holidays are becoming increasingly popular, and a number of Forest Parks are obliging across the UK with mountain bike trails ranging from easy to severe. The Galloway Forest Park, which includes some of the 7 Stanes cycling trails around Glentrool and Kirroughtree (weblink right for 7 Stanes), is one of the top spots in Scotland for Best Mountain Bike holidays. Checkout the all singletrack Glentrool blue-graded cycling trail (9km/takes about 1 - 2 hours) on the 7 Stanes weblink right. This one weaves through forest and up onto a ridge with fine views of Loch Trool.

With its huge number of Lochs (lakes), Galloway Forest Park is a hotspot for Scotland Fishing Holidays, particularly for Trout Fishing and Salmon Fishing. (obtain fishing permits for many of the Lochs within the park via one of the three visitor centres at Clatteringshaws, Glentrool and Kirroughtree. The Fish Galloway weblink right lists all the top spots for Salmon and Trout fishing, plus coarse and sea fishing in the Galloway area.

Top fishing spots for salmon include The River Cree which drains the Carrick, Glentrool, Kirroughtree and Cairnsmore forests. It's the River Cree catchment area which makes Newton Stewart such a hotspot base for South Scotland Fishing holidays! (see the Newton Stewart Angling Association's weblink right, which has excellent maps of the River Cree as well as all the top fishing information and news in the area plus information on Permit costs and where to get them).

Featured Scotland Accommodation

Carrick Cottages - Gatehouse of Fleet

Sleeps 4-9 a selection of self catering cottages in various locations along Carrick and Brighouse Bay most with sea views. Family friendly and pets welcome.

£260 to £660 Per Week (Seasonal)