Holiday cottages in Galloway Forest

Galloway Forest Park is the largest forest park in Britain — about three hundred square miles of forest, loch, moor and hill in the heart of Dumfries & Galloway. In 2009 it became the first Dark Sky Park in the United Kingdom, and on a clear, moonless night you can see the Milky Way, meteor showers and thousands of stars with nothing but your own eyes. There is very little else like it this far south.

By day it is walking, cycling and water. The Merrick, the highest hill in southern Scotland, is climbed from Glen Trool, where Bruce’s Stone marks a victory over an English force in 1307 above a loch worth the walk on its own. Kirroughtree and the other 7stanes centres have mountain-bike trails from gentle to fearsome, the Raiders’ Road forest drive follows the Water of Ken, and Clatteringshaws Loch sits in the middle of it all with red deer on the hills above.

Nobody lives deep in the park, so staying here means a cottage on its edge — near Newton Stewart, Glen Trool or the quiet roads in between — with the forest and the dark skies a few minutes from the door.

Things to do in Galloway Forest

The skies first. Galloway Forest was the first Dark Sky Park in Britain and still one of the darkest places in the country — from autumn to early spring, when the nights are long, the Milky Way is plain to the naked eye. The Dark Sky Dome near Straiton, in the Carrick Forest at the north end, runs stargazing sessions; you need no equipment of your own to see a great deal.

By day, Glen Trool is the obvious start: Bruce’s Stone, Loch Trool and the path up the Merrick, the highest hill in the south of Scotland. Kirroughtree, near Newton Stewart, is one of the 7stanes mountain-biking centres, with everything from family green trails to the technical black runs the place is known for, and good walking on the same forest roads.

The Raiders’ Road is a ten-mile forest drive along the Water of Ken with picnic spots and a pool to swim in. Clatteringshaws Loch has a visitor point and red deer on the surrounding hills, and the whole park is threaded with waymarked walks and cycle routes, red kites overhead and wild goats on the tops.

Getting to Galloway Forest

• The park sits in the middle of the region, reached from its edges rather than driven into. Newton Stewart, on the A75, is the main southern gateway — about 50 miles west of Dumfries, an hour and a half from Gretna — and Glen Trool and Kirroughtree are a short drive from there.
• The northern end, around the Dark Sky Dome and the Carrick Forest, is reached from Straiton and Dalmellington off the A713, roughly an hour south of Ayr.
• There is no railway into the park and the roads inside it are single-track in places and unlit by design — the darkness is the point. A car is essential, and a torch for walking back from a stargazing session.

Common questions about staying in Galloway Forest

Why is Galloway Forest Park famous for its skies?

It was the first Dark Sky Park in the United Kingdom, designated in 2009, and remains one of the darkest places in the country. On a clear, moonless night the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye, best from autumn through to early spring when the nights are long.

Where should I stay for the park?

Nobody lives deep inside it, so you stay on the edge — around Newton Stewart and Glen Trool at the south, or towards Straiton at the north. Our cottages here are all within or close to the park boundary.

What is there to do besides stargazing?

Walking and cycling, mostly. The Merrick and Glen Trool at the south, the Kirroughtree mountain-bike trails near Newton Stewart, the Raiders’ Road forest drive, and Clatteringshaws Loch with its red deer.

Is it good for a dog?

Yes — look for the paw symbol on a listing. The forest roads and hill paths are as good a walk as anywhere in Scotland.

Do I need a car?

Yes. There is no railway into the park, and the roads inside it are quiet, single-track in places, and deliberately unlit. Bring a torch for walking back after dark.