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S & C E N T R E S The Whithorn Dig
The Whithorn Visitor Centre and Dig is only 20
minutes drive from Wigtown and is a great place to visit. Whithorn is Scotland's
oldest town and was the cradle of Christianity in Scotland. The visitor centre
provides a history of Whithorn and early Christian settlements with an audio and
"hands-on" display. View finds from the dig which you can view at the
excavation site. Foundations of an 8th Century Northumbrian Church built around a
shrine to an unknown saint.
Bladnoch Distillery
- tel.01988 402235. fax 01988 402605
Visit Bladnoch Distillery for a really
good day out. Discover how Whiskey is made in this fully functional distillery,
sample the fine Bladnoch Whiskey and enjoy live music in the evenings at one of the
distillery functions.
COUNTRYSIDE AND WILDLIFE
Wigtown Bay Local Nature Reserve:
Site of Special Scientific interest (SSSI) since 1956. Declared
as Local Nature Reserve in March 1996, the total area of the reserve is 2844.7ha, the
largest Local Nature Reserve in Britain.
Wigtown Agricultural Show
First held in 1911, the Wigtown Agricultural Show is
traditionally one of the best attended shows in the agricultural calendar. In 1996 it
attracted 6500 visitors and stewards were struggling with crowds from as early as 1885.
The Wigtown Show is held in August each year with this years show promising to be
better than ever.
Galloway Forest Park:
290 sq. miles of forest, moorland and lochs rise to rugged
mountains like The Merrick (highest peak in southern Scotland), Mullwarchar and the Rhinns
of Kells. The Forest Park offers a range of waymarked trails catering for a wide range of
ability from children and the less able, to experienced hill walkers. The Raider's Road
and Carrick and Kirroughtree Forest Toll Drives give an insight to the great forests of
the Park with plenty of picnic sites and parking en route.
Galloway House, Garlieston:
This woodland garden containing many fine old
trees, rhododendrons, azaleas and flowering shrubs reaches down to a quiet seashore and
sandy bay.
Logan Botanical Gardens
Port Logan, The Rhins. STB Commended. (01776)
860231
Castle Kennedy Gardens
Nr. Stranraer. STB Commended. (01776) 702024
Threave Gardens
Castle Douglas. STB Commended. (01556) 502575
White Loch
& Kirkmaiden Country Walk:
This beautiful walk at Port William was the only walk in Scotland
featured among the ten listed in the 'Holiday Which? Town and Country Walks Guide'.
Low Knock Waterfowl Rare
Breeds Reserve
Near Port William: On show - Ducks from around the world; Highland and
Belted Galloway cattle; otters; pot-bellied pigs; and much more.
ARCHAEOLOGY & HISTORY
Decorated Cross, Wigtown Parish Church
The Machars of Wigtownshire is steeped in history. The picture on
the left shows the shaft of a 10th century cross which you can see inside the parish
church on Bank Street, Wigtown.
These crosses can be found throughout the Machars. They
were originally erected as preaching crosses at sites which later became medieval parish
churches.
The Martyrs Stake
The Martyrs' Stake, Wigtown, marks the
approximate location of the execution by drowning of the Wigtown Martyrs, Margaret Wilson
and Margaret McLachlane, on the 11th May, 1685. There is also a hilltop monument to the
women whose gravestones are in Wigtown churchyard.
Torhouse Stone Circle
Torhouse Stone Circle, 4 miles west of Wigtown
(B733), is a circle of nineteen granite boulders from the 2nd Millennium BC surrounding
three central stones. One of the best preserved sites of this type in Britain.
St. Ninian's Cave
St Ninian's Cave, near Whithorn, Scotland's
oldest town and the cradle of Christianity in Scotland, is said to have been used by
Ninian as a retreat and is still a holy site and place of pilgrimage 8th Century carving.
This cave is reputed to have been used as a retreat by St Ninian.
The Whithorn Dig
The Whithorn Visitor Centre and Dig is only 20
minutes drive from Wigtown and is a great place to visit. Whithorn is Scotland's
oldest town and was the cradle of Christianity in Scotland. The visitor centre
provides a history of Whithorn and early Christian settlements with an audio and
"hands-on" display. View finds from the dig which you can view at the
excavation site. Foundations of an 8th Century Northumbrian Church built around a
shrine to an unknown saint.
Sports
& Leisure
There are 4 local Golf Clubs open to visitors.
Wigtown & Bladnoch Golf Club:
Peaceful 9 hole course with magnificent views of Wigtown Bay and across the Solway Firth
to the Lake District.
St Medan Golf Club, nr Port William:
9 hole seaside links course with panoramic views of the Mull of Galloway & the Isle of
Man.
Newton Stewart Golf Club: 18 hole
parkland course.
Wigtown District Golf Club:
Glenluce.
Riding and
Driving:
West Drumrae Farm, nr Whithorn: Accompanied riding and horse driving in
quiet, unspoilt countryside.
Fishing:
Sea Trout and Salmon fishing can be arranged, as can superb sea
fishing. Fishing for brown & rainbow trout in stocked lochs and coarse fishing
for roach, perch, pike, tench, carp and bream are widely available. There is also
excellent Salmon fishing on the river Bladnoch, which runs through Bladnoch, and the river
Cree which runs through Newton Stewart.
Roe deer stalking, wildfowling,
and walked up rough shooting are also on offer.
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