Dumfries and Galloway (Paperback) | Released: 07 Dec 2020

Written by resident experts, this new, thoroughly updated second edition of Bradt's Dumfries and Galloway remains the only full-blown guide to this increasingly popular southwest corner of Scotland. Lively descriptions, historical anecdotes and enthusiastic writing combine with hand-picked accommodation recommendations to reveal one of Scotland's best kept secrets. New attractions and features covered in this edition include Kirkcudbright Galleries, an increased focus on wildlife and birdwatching, and a round-up of the many distilleries and breweries in the region. Specialist contributions cover everything from smoking fish and meat to creating a Himalayan garden in the hills of the Southern Uplands, conservation along the Solway coast, and the sport of curling. There are also new walks and a range of hotels and restaurants not previously included.John Paul Jones, the 'Father of the United States Navy', was born in the region and his restored cottage is open to the public, while astronaut Neil Armstrong came to explore his connections at the Clan Armstrong Museum. The region is also home to the American sport of pickleball, in the town of Lockerbie, while the main town, Dumfries, had strong shipping links with North America in the 18th century. And it was from the banks of the river south of Dumfries that many thousands left for the New World. Dumfries and Galloway is an area of grand views, peace and isolation, bustling harbourside towns, craft shops and galleries, cafes and restaurants, mountains and coast, wildlife and outdoor pursuits... Even the weather can defy expectation, for the far west is warmed by the Gulf Stream. You can be at Scotland's highest village in the morning, on a deserted sandy beach in the afternoon, and in Europe's first Dark Sky Park, gazing at the stars, in the evening. And the region is also home to Scotland's 'big five' iconic species: golden eagle, red squirrel, harbour seal, red deer and European otter. No matter your interest, Bradt's Dumfries and Galloway is an ideal companion for a successful trip.
About the Author: Donald Greig first came to Dumfries and Galloway at just five weeks old on a family holiday. Many more holidays in the area followed before he moved to the region permanently in 2013. A travel publisher and writer by trade, he has worked for guidebook companies in the UK and Australia and for seven years prior to returning to Scotland was Managing Director of Bradt Travel Guides. He has also written for a range of national publications, including Scotland on Sunday and Independent on Sunday newspapers, Wanderlust, the UK's leading travel magazine, BBC Countryfile magazine, and The List magazine. Some of his earliest memories are from Dumfries and Galloway: bluebells in spring in Carstramon wood at Gatehouse-of-Fleet, holidays spent on the beach at Sandgreen and Rockcliffe, fish and chips by the harbour at Kirkcudbright... simple pleasures which continue to attract visitors today as much as they did 40 years ago. 'Dumfries and Galloway has never lost its appeal for me' he says; 'I still find the area's mix of landscapes, distinctive cultural identity and pace of life hugely alluring and I never tire of exploring what's on my doorstep.' Based in the Southern Uplands, he and his partner and co-author, Darren Flint, have also written two walking guides to the region and love welcoming guests to their small B&B, Summerlea House (www.moffatbedandbreakfast.co.uk), in their home in Moffat's conservation area. Darren Flint is a relative newcomer to the area, settling in Dumfries and Galloway in 2013, yet he was hooked from the outset. Now based in Moffat, he divdes his time between managing local environmental, conservation and community projects, writing and, with his partner and co-author Donald Greig, running their small B&B, Summerlea House (www.moffatbedandbreakfast.co.uk). Since 2014 he has been Project Officer with the award-winning Castle Loch Lochmaben Community Trust, a Site of Scientific Interest, Ramsar Site and Special Protected Area of national and international importance for its birdlife. He has also run Moffat Community Nature Reserve and continues to work as Community Development Officer for the parish of Kirkmichael near Dumfries, as well as helping to run the River Annan Trust. He is an avid naturalist with a particular fascination for butterflies and, along with getting his hands dirty with practical habitat work out in the field, he enjoys inspiring the next generation with a passion for the outdoors and protecting its wildlife. He likes nothing better than donning his walking boots and uncovering those hidden corners we all dream about.