Gatehouse of Fleet to Dumfries
An area full of history, with connections to Robert the Bruce and Rabbie Burns
Follow the route – Gatehouse of Fleet to Dumfries
Gatehouse of Fleet to The Queen's Way
> From Gatehouse of Fleet turn right on to the A75 (heading west) and in Palnure watch for a right turn to Kirroughtree Visitor Centre.
Kirroughtree Forest, Dumfries and Galloway
The oldest South of Scotland plantations of the Forestry Commission cover a landscape of hills and a river valley overlooked by the great bulk of Cairnsmore of Fleet. An audio-visual presentation explains the workings of the forest, and outdoor attractions include a forest garden with plots of more than 60 tree species, from redwoods and monkey puzzles to cypress and rarities such as the Englemann spruce.
Four trails explore the upper parts of the forest, visiting hill lochs and viewpoints, and you should follow the separate Papy Ha’bird trail above the Palnure Burn, habitat of warblers, woodpeckers, dippers, goosanders, shelduck, jays and ravens.
Rejoin the A75, then go right on to the A712.
The Queen's Way to Dumfries
> From Gatehouse of Fleet turn right on to the A75 (heading west) and in Palnure watch for a right turn to Kirroughtree Visitor Centre.
The Queen’s Way, Dumfries and Galloway
Several visitor areas of the Galloway Forest Park are concentrated along the stretch of A712 known as the Queen’s Way. The start is signalled by the hilltop obelisk at Talnotry commemorating Alexander Murray, a local shepherd’s son who became the greatest Oriental linguist in early 19th-century Britain.
Look out for the Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall. Further on there is a visitor centre, by the side of Clatteringshaws Loch, where you’ll find information on the Red Deer Range and Wild Goat Park. Close by is ‘Bruce’s Stone’, where Robert the Bruce is supposed to have rested after defeating the English in 1307.
Continue on the A712 through New Galloway. Turn right on the A713, left on the A712, left on the B7075 and right on the A702 through Moniaive. In Kirkland, turn right on the B729 and return to Dumfries.
Places to stay in Dumfries
Dumfries, Dumfries & Galloway
Straddling the River Nith (where you may see red-breasted mergansers playing on the weir in summer), Dumfries has strong associations with Robert Burns, who farmed nearby and returned to Dumfries towards the end of his life.
He died here in 1796, aged 37. You’ll find Burns-related visitor attractions in and around town, plus a portfolio of other sights ranging from ruined castles and abbeys to quirky museums.
