Self-catering accommodation near Kirkcudbright

Holiday activities and places to visit near Kirkcudbright

Kirkcudbright is a picturesque coastal village in a quiet part of Scotland. Recently styled as 'the artists' town', it was home of E A Hornel (a Glasgow Boy), Jessie King, Charles Oppenheimer and other well-known artists in the 1920s. S J Peploe (a Scottish Colourist) was a frequent visitor in the summer months. Dorothy L Sayers based her book 'Five Red Herrings' on Kirkcudbright. Today there are lots of artists and craftsmen working in the area. Broughton House was the home of E A Hornel and is now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland and open to the public. The Japanese-style garden is also fascinating and the fine 18th century house in the high street has many beautiful and interesting things to look at. There are lots of galleries and contemporary artists also flourish in Kirkcudbright.

This peaceful Galloway town has a lovely working harbour and very pretty pastel-coloured houses - some of which are now available to rent as self-catering cottages - great if you want to be in the centre of town. Kircudbright is a great place to base yourself in to explore the lovely Galloway coast and countryside. In the centre of the town is MacLellan's Castle, a great 16th century ruined fortified mansion. Along the coast are many holiday cottages by the sea - the estuary of the River Dee and the Galloway hills are beautiful to explore. If you are on holiday with children then it is worth a trip to the Kirkcudbright Wildlife Conservation Park - lots of animals to see, touch and feed. Gatehouse of Fleet is another picturesque town - a planned design and the Cally Garden Nursery has some unusual plants. Kirkcudbright has an 18 hole golf course with stunning views - there are several other good golf courses in the local area. Sailing is another popular activity and the Kircudbright Marina has the Blue Flag award. There are lots of sandy beaches (often completely empty) and others which have rock pools which children will love to explore. Southwest Scotland is a great place for a family holiday and renting a self-catering cottage near Kirkcudbright is great choice.