Cally Woods

A circular woodland walk. 5km/3miles long. Allow 2 hours to complete. Beaten earth and hard surface paths and tracks.

Stout shoes or boots recommended. Parking is available at the Murray Centre in Cally Woods. There is an information point here, open during the day from April to October. Head out of Gatehouse on the B727 towards Kirkcudbright for a short distance then follow the Forestry Commission signs to Cally Woods and the Murray Centre.

Start all three trails start from the Murray Centre and are way-marked. The one described here is the Coronation Trail, way-marked as yellow.

From the car park, follow the yellow way-markers. Soon you come to a bridge over Bush Burn. Around 1860, a dam here collected water to drive Scotts Mill on the outskirts of town. Sawmills such as these were common at the time and the great demand for timber contributed to the disappearance of trees from Cally Wood itself and other woods in the region. Few old trees remain in Cally Woods and most were planted in the 1930s after the Forestry Commission acquired the land.

Cally Estate was renowned for its fine broadleaved trees. Species planted include oak, birch, sycamore and beech, thereby continuing the tradition. Although the trees are relatively young, there is an abundance of animal and plant life which has found its home here. In spring and summer there is a wealth of wildflowers such as primroses and bluebells. Roe deer and red squirrels can be spotted as well as a variety of birds, including buzzards and treecreepers.

The walk continues through the forest, passing Cally Gardens. This walled garden, built in the 1770s once provided Cally House with an abundance of fruit and vegetables. Nowadays, it is a nursery, growing many new and interesting plants from seed obtained worldwide. It is open to visitors from April to September.