7 Days exploring History & Heritage on the SWC300

Gilnockie Tower is a stunning example of a Scottish Pele Tower. Built some 500 years ago, it was home to Johnnie Armstrong, a notorious Border Reiver. In 1530 this powerful chieftain was hanged by a Scottish King, his story romanticised by Walter Scott.

A family friendly museum housing a permanent exhibition on the history of Annan and the surrounding area. A fascinating journey through time takes visitors from the prehistoric period up to the era of nuclear fission.

Established in 1836, we’re one of Scotland’s oldest operating distilleries. Located close to the Scotland-England border, we’re also the first (and last) distillery in Scotland. In 2007 the distillery was bought by the Annandale Distillery Company Ltd.

Caerlaverock Castle is the UK’s only triangular castle. With its wide moat, twin towered gatehouse and loft battlements, it is an awe-inspiring medieval stronghold.

It was in this simple sandstone house in a quiet Dumfries street that Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet, spent the last years of his life. He died here in 1796 at the age of just thirty seven. The house shows us how the poet and his family lived in the late eighteenth century and is now a place of pilgrimage for Burns enthusiasts from around the world.

A treasure house of history in Dumfries and Galloway, Dumfries Museum tells the story of the land and people of the region. Look out for fossil footprints left by prehistoric animals, the wildlife of the Solway, tools and weapons of our earliest people, stone carvings by Scotland’s first Christians and the everyday things of the Victorian farm, workshop and home.

See a beautifully-restored village mill in action and learn about how oatmeal, a staple of the Scottish diet, was once made. A mill was probably built here by the monks of nearby Sweetheart Abbey, but parts of the present building probably date from the late 1700s.

A monument to human and divine love, Sweetheart Abbey was named for its founder, Lady Dervorgilla, who was buried here with the embalmed heart of her beloved husband. The abbey church, with a stone effigy of the founder, survives almost intact.

The John Paul Jones Cottage Museum is located on the Arbigland Estate near Kirkbean in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The cottage is where John Paul Jones, hero of the American Revolutionary War and founder of the United States Navy, was born in 1747. Jones’ father was a gardener for the estate.

Cross the River Dee by boat to visit this enchanting castle set on its own island. Rich with wildflowers in summer; you might see ospreys and otters hunting in the river.

Enjoy the peace of this beautiful Gothic abbey set in tree-fringed pastures where Mary Queen of Scots spent her last hours in Scotland.

Right in the heart of Kirkcudbright, a pretty artists’ colony on the Solway Firth, Broughton House is an 18th-century Georgian house and the former home of Scottish painter E A Hornel, one of the Glasgow Boys. The house holds Hornel’s pictures, vast collection of artefacts and furniture and has an beautiful garden.

Explore the impressive residence of a powerful family in the heart of Kirkcudbright and the vaulted ground floor rooms in which their servants once worked. Look for the laird’s lug, a spy hole in the great hall through which the lord could eavesdrop on his guests.

The Stewartry Museum was founded in 1879, and first occupied part of the Kirkcudbright Town Hall. As the collection grew, the present purpose-built museum was planned and opened in 1893. The Museum has an old-world charm and exhibits a wealth of objects relating to the area known as The Stewartry, or Kirkcudbrightshire.

Cardoness was built in the 1400s by the notorious McCulloch family, as a demonstration of their status. The well-preserved prison shows the kind of reception their most unwelcome guests might expect.

Would you like to see a 4.5 billion year old, three kilogram meteorite; or the fossilised egg and dung of a dinosaur; or one of the largest natural gold specimens on display in the UK? Then the Creetown Gem Rock Museum is for you!

In the heart of the Galloway Forest Park, near Loch Trool, is a stone. This huge granite boulder marks the place of a battle that took place in the First War of Scottish Independence in March 1307. The man who led the Scottish troops was Robert the Bruce.

The Whithorn Trust runs the exhibition and museum detailing the town’s 1600 years of Christian history. Coffee and gift shop with locally sourced products.

Tucked in a tranquil valley is one of Scotland’s best-preserved monasteries. A highlight is the magnificent chapter house, with its ornate windows and grotesque carvings. There is also a remarkable plumbing system that supplied the Cistercian monks with running water.

Stranraer’s historic Old Town Hall, built in 1776, is the home of Stranraer Museum. Step inside and discover Wigtownshire’s fascinating past. See one of Scotland’s oldest ploughs, look at Victorian Wigtownshire in 3D photographs and investigate the collection through our museum trails

With a dramatic clifftop setting, Robert Adam architecture, fascinating history & beautiful surrounds, Culzean Castle and Country Park is one of Scotland’s best days out. This glorious 260 ha estate was once the playground of David Kennedy, 10th Earl of Cassillis. The park is planted with conifers and beech, sculpted around miles of sandy coastline dotted with caves, and finished off with a Swan Pond, an ice house, flamboyant formal gardens and fruit-filled glasshouses.

Dundonald Castle’s legacy is just beginning. It’s a vibrant ‘living’ monument and holds a special place in the heart of its village. Home to Scots King Robert II, grandson of Robert the Bruce; it’s where the formidable Stewart dynasty was born. The 14th century Castle, its ancient hilltop and surrounding woodland hold their secrets and those of the powerful Cochrane family, favourites of King Charles I.

The Doon Valley Railway is a ‘living museum’. Here unique and historically significant industrial steam and diesel locomotives are restored and can be seen working in an authentic setting.

Discover Sanquhar’s world famous knitting tradition and the story of the mines and miners of Sanquhar and Kirkconnel. What was it like to be a prisoner in Sanquhar jail? How did the ordinary people of Upper Nithsdale live and work in times past? All this and more can be found in the town’s fine 18th century tolbooth.

If you like delving deep into history, soaking up the finest culture, exploring beautiful countryside – or adrenaline-fuelled mountain biking – you’ll love a day at Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate. From activities for kids to salmon fishing, you’ll find a raft of activity awaiting you. The Castle has 120 rooms, 17 turrets and four towers and from your very first glance you’ll know you’re entering a special place. Special enough, in fact, that the producers of Outlander recently used the Castle for filming their second series! Please check opening times ahead of your visit, for much of the year, castle visits must be booked in advance.

Discover Wanlockhead’s 18th century lead mine where you will experience the thrill of going on the only underground mine tour in Scotland. Take a glimpse into the past by visiting the miners’ cottages and see how the miners and their families lived during the periods of 1750, 1850 & 1910. The Miners’ Library is one of three subscription libraries in Scotland set up by the Miners themselves. You can even try your hand at panning for gold!