Food and Drink Walking Breaks
Accommodation - 4 nights ccommodation at Castle Douglas or the Solway Coast. Accommodation List.
Places of Interest - Castle Douglas Food Town; Sulwath Brewery, Carlingwark loch; Threave Castle and Garden (Options on Walk 1) Tea Rooms, Pubs and Restaurants recommended. Places of Interest List.
Price - from £195 p.p. (B&B); £257 p.p. (hotel).
We have selected what we think are some of the best tea rooms in the area combined with a selection of relatively easy nearby good walks to produce this 4 day walking break. The tour cost does not include the cost of food.
Day 1: The Green Tea House, Moniaive – Walk from 2 to 14 miles.
The quaint hillside town of Moniaive in north Dumfriesshire is an ideal location to get away from it all. The narrow road follows the Dalwhat Water glen for 6 miles with a 1 mile path at the end to reach Cairnhead, the location of a Striding Arches sculpture, still being worked on by the locally based and world famous landscape sculptor, Andy Goldsworthy. You can take your car whatever distance up the glen you wish to a suitable parking place if you do not wish to walk the full distance from Moniaive. The road is tarred for about 3.5 miles and then becomes a track before heading into the adjacent forest. The green tea house is an organic tea room in Moniaive where you are sure to be served with a delicious fare. We will provide opening days and hours information.
Day 2: Kitty’s Tea Room and The Smithy Tea Room, New Galloway – Walk from 2 to 5.5 miles – Riverside and Hillside.
The Glenkens Area is fortunate in having two first class tea rooms in the locality. We liken Kitty’s Tea Room with the style of Betty’s tea room in York or Harrogate with china tea cups an old fashioned atmosphere. Nearby is The Smithy, recently taken over and verified to be producing delicious homemade soup and scones at its charming riverside location. This recently way-marked walk mostly follows the Water of Ken river floodbank from New Galloway to Ken bridge, returning by road for a 2 miles circuit. Another pleasant walk of a mile there and back is to the church outside New Galloway with interesting Covenanting headstones. The longest walk option is to walk from the nearby town of St. John’s Town of Dalry by a way- walk following the river flood-bank all the way to New Galloway and returning by the regular local bus, the times of which would be supplied by us.
Day 3 – Abbey Cottage, New Abbey. Two walks of around 3 miles – Woodlands, Hill and countryside.
The Lotus Hill is a popular hill walk initially along a forestry road then up grass moorland to the top. The reward is expansive views in all directions for many miles including the Lake District mountains in England. The descent is by a different route.
The Waterloo monument is 4 miles from the Lotus Hill and on the outskirts of the delightful small town of New Abbey. The monument is fairly steep but a reasonably short distance with large stone steps. There are panoramic views over the River Nith estuary from the top. After doing the Waterloo monument walk the award winning Abbey Cottage tea room and restaurant sitting beside the majestic Sweetheart Abbey is an ideal place for a refreshment.
Day 4 – Old School Tea Room, Ringford. Laurieston Forest Walk - 1 mile to 5.5 mls - Forest and Loch.
Peace and tranquility are in abundance on these walks. From the sound of the winding stream to the smell of the bracken, this walk will transport you from hustle and bustle of the modern world to nature at it's best in just a few short miles. There are two short and easy way-marked walks of 1.5 and 3 miles and a longer walk through the forest which emerges at Lochenbreck loch. Continue round the popular fishing loch on a rugged part before returning to the picnic spot. The popular Old School Tea Room is 8 miles from the forest and allows you to enjoy an ‘old world atmosphere’ along with good food.
Accommodation - 4 nights accommodation at Castle Douglas, the Solway Coast, Kirkcudbright, Gatehouse or Dalry. Accommodation List.
Places of Interest - Castle Douglas Food Town; Sulwath Brewery, Carlingwark loch; Threave Castle and Garden (Options on Walk 1) Tea Rooms, Pubs and Restaurants recommended. Places of Interest List.
Price - from £195 p.p. (B&B); £257 p.p. (small hotel).
With our local knowledge, we have chosen what we think are some of the best pub/restaurants in the area for this 4 day walking tour. The tour cost does not include the cost of food.
Day 1: The Glenisle Inn, Palnackie - Almorness – 4.5 to 6 miles – Countryside and Coastal.
The Almorness peninsula near to Palnackie is not much publicised and mostly used by locals as a walking route. You start the walk from Palnackie and return there at the end. We can advise on opening times of this popular pub. Firstly follow the narrow country road with the option of a short detour to Historic Scotland’s Orchardton Tower. A parking place part way along allows the walk to be shortened. You soon join a track road then you have to find your way round the rugged part to Almorness Point using what you can find of a path or sheep tracks. The dramatic reward with this walk are two secluded beaches, Horse Isles Bay and White Port which has a particularly stunning setting. Almorness Point itself gives views across the Solway including Heston Island.
Day 2: The Anchor Inn, Kippford - The Jubilee Path – 2.5 to 4 miles – Coastal.
This is a popular walk between the delightful coastal villages of Kippford and Rockliffe. Being a National Scenic Area, the recent scrub clearance work done by the National Trust for Scotland has created a reasonably short loop path - possibly ideal to walk off a pub lunch at a nearby popular pub! As you wind your way round the well used path, walk in the footsteps of King Rheged, 5th century, and take in the wonderful panoramic view from the old fort known as the Moat of Mark. There are other walks in this area, e.g. The Muckle Walk – 3 miles and even further to Castle Point – 4 miles – all of which we can advise you of at a welcome meeting. The Anchor Inn looks onto the Urr Estuary and is a popular local place to eat.
Day 3: The Masonic Arms, Gatehouse of Fleet – The Cally Woods - 3 miles – Woodland or Ruthford Monument and Anwoth - 3.5 miles – Rugged hill and countryside.
The Cally Woods Forestry Commission walk has several extra distance options. The relatively easy paths lead you through the deciduous woods to the sumptuous Cally Palace Hotel - an accommodation option or a stop for tea during the walk. Walk beside the hotel’s 18 hole golf course and back into Gatehouse.
At the start of the Rutherford Monument walk is an easy detour walk to the National Trust’s Venniehill with seat and viewpoint giving fascinating town views of Gatehouse of Fleet. The main walk is more rugged terrain uphill to the Rutherford monument, a trig point and a Ministers Memorial cairn - all with fantastic views around the Fleet hinterland and estuary. Descend in the opposite direction to the picturesque hamlet of Anwoth – used during the filming of the cult movie The Wickerman. A flat lane round the back of the hill takes you back into Gatehouse of Fleet. The Masonic Arms has been well regarded as a gastro pub for several years and operated the local Border TV chef. It has recently been taken over and we are watching to ensure the good standard remains.
Day 4: The Clachan Inn, St. John’s Town of Dalry - Waterside Hill - 4.5 miles – Riverside; Moderate Hill.
With the riverside path including a suspension footbridge, a stretch on the Southern Upland Way cross-Scotland walking route including a nearby climb up Waterside Hill with its panoramic views from the top, before returning by a typical glen and the river again, this circular walk has lots of features to keep you interested. As the Clachan Inn is on the Southern Upland Way, it has long been regarded as an ideal end of walk pub/restaurant in Dalry. Unfortunately it is currently closed - The Lochinvar pub is nearby.
Accommodation - 4 nights accommodation at Castle Douglas, the Solway Coast, Kirkcudbright, Gatehouse or Dalry. Accommodation List.
Places of Interest - Castle Douglas Food Town; Sulwath Brewery, Carlingwark loch; Threave Castle and Garden (Options on Walk 1) Tea Rooms, Pubs and Restaurants recommended. Places Of Interest List.
Price - from £195 p.p. (B&B); £257 p.p. (small hotel).
A good quality evening meal at a different restaurant each night is the central theme on the walking break. We have listed 7 different walks and evening meal locations, all within a reasonable distance from Castle Douglas. Please note the tour cost does not include the cost of food.
1: The Laurie Arms country gastro pub. Threave Walk - 2 to 6 miles - Countryside, River and Woodland.
The first part of this fascinating walk has only recently been constructed and not yet listed in any walking books. Begin by taking a newly constructed walk from Castle Douglas following the old ‘Paddy’ railway line to link with Threave Estate’s network of footpaths. One detour takes you to Threave Castle, standing on an island on the River Dee – ring the bell for the boatman to take you over! Longer loops take you to Lamb Island with options to visit Bridge of Dee and Rhonehouse villages. The way back is by the renowned National Trust for Scotland’s Threave Garden with finally a option to join another walk past Carlingwark loch and along Lovers Lane back into the town. There are two choices for tea room and restaurant refreshment along the way. We can advise on the merits of the different options at the welcome meeting.
Day 2: Kirkpatrick's Scottish Restaurant. River Dee and Barrhill Walk - up to 6.5 miles – Riverside and Woodland Walk.
You begin this walk from the harbour in Kirkcudbright. The first part is 4.5 miles. It is an easy terrain with a short more rugged part at Tongland. The meandering walk follows the line of the River Dee, partly on top of the flood banking. The Galloway Hydros visitor centre at Tongland is worth a visit when open.
The second part of this walk if you wish is 2 miles through woodland. There are various footpaths in the wood giving several route options to explore. You leave from the harbour area and walk uphill by road for a mile to enter the Barrhill Wood. You can leave the wood at its opposite end emerging onto Silvercraigs Road and park giving panoramic views over the roofs of the town, the harbour and River Dee estuary.
Day 3: The Abbey Arms. The Lotus Hill and The Waterloo Monument – 3.3 miles and 2 miles – Woodlands and Hills.
The Lotus Hill is a popular hill walk initially along a forestry road then up grass moorland to the top. The reward is expansive views in all directions for many miles including the Lake District mountains in England. The descent is by a different route.
The Waterloo monument is 4 miles from the Lotus Hill and on the outskirts of the delightful small town of New Abbey. The monument is fairly steep but a reasonably short distance. There are panoramic views over the River Nith estuary from the top. A refreshment break either between or at the end of the walks is possible as New Abbey has two hotels, an award winning tea room and three significant places of interest including Sweetheart Abbey.
Walk 4: The Masonic Arms. Carrick Circuit – 5.5 miles – Coastal and Countryside.
The area round Gatehouse of Fleet has been designated as the Fleet Valley National Scenic Area. The Fleet Isles off the Carrick coast, where this walk begins is also a National Trust for Scotland site. This easy if longish walk in this category is mostly on a peaceful tarred roads either along the coast or inland by the National Cycle Route and visits the Cream o’Galloway ice cream farm and visitor centre. The shore at Carrick is popular with locals for swimming and boating with many longstanding beach huts still inhabited during the summer holidays.
Walk 5: The Murray Arms. Loch Trool - 5.5 miles - Lochside and Woodland.
This is another Forestry Commission location including a visitor centre and tea room. The popular and stunningly beautiful area around Glentrool could be said to be the most like the Scottish Highlands having craggy hillsides, a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees, and tumbling waterfalls. with the highest mountain of the region, Merrick 843m nearby. Bruce’s Stone, beside Loch Trool commemorates a battle in 1307 when Robert the Bruce scored a victory over an English Army. The walk around the loch has an information board showing how the battle was won using the natural features of the area.
Walk 6: The Ship Inn. Cruggleton Castle – 6.5 miles – Coastal, Countryside and Woodland.
This walk is 8 miles from Wigtown and starts from the old harbour town of Garlieston. Although just over 6 miles in length, we have included this popular coastal walk in the easy/moderate category. From Garlieston village the way-marked coastal route is easy to follow passing Galloway House around Cruggleton Bay. Following open ground the path rises along the cliff tops from where you can see the remains of Cruggleton Castle, a former important settlement. The views from the Castle are magnificent towards isle of Whithorn and Isle of Man in the distance. Return the same way with the option of entering the rambling Galloway House Gardens which are open to the public.
Walk 7: The Clachan Inn. Waterside Hill - 4.5 miles – Riverside; Moderate Hill.
With the riverside path including a suspension footbridge, a stretch on the Southern Upland Way cross-Scotland walking route including a nearby climb up Waterside Hill with its panoramic views from the top, before returning by a typical glen and the river again, this circular walk has lots of features to keep you interested. A good end of walk pub in Dalry for a bar lunch or drink. The Clachan Inn is currently closed.