Dog-friendly Hotels Dumfries and Galloway

This cosy semi-detached cottage is situated in the lovely village of Wigtown, known as Scotland’s ‘Book Town’. The town provides a variety of shops, galleries, tea rooms and a pub. Located in the heart of Dumfries and Galloway amidst some of the finest scenery in southern Scotland, and ideally located to explore Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, wilderness and romance. The breathtaking scenery runs from the Galloway Hills and the Galloway Forest Dark Skies Park, with their many hidden lochs, burns and waterfalls, to the beautiful Solway coastline with sandy beaches, rocky coves and picturesque villages to explore.
Wigtown Bay Local Nature Reserve is the largest local reserve in the UK. It has significant numbers of pink-footed geese, greylag geese, and several species of duck and wading birds that visit in the autumn and winter months. Spend time at the Interpretation Centre where you can watch via video camera the Galloway ospreys during their nesting season (April to August), or the local wetlands during the rest of the year. Take time to visit the distillery at Bladnoch which has a large visitor shop and offers guided tours, or meander around Wigtown browsing the gift shops, gallery, plant nursery, and the numerous book shops and many cafés.
This beautiful region boast an exceptional number of activities to try, from a quiet afternoon fishing on one of the excellent rivers, or trying one of the challenging 7 Stanes cycle tracks. You will find horse riding, golf, sailing, diving and numerous walks all in the area and with its famously mild climate and the balmy influence of the gulf stream, Dumfries and Galloway is home to some of the most beautiful and exotic gardens in Scotland. Beach 2 miles. Shop, pub and restaurant 250 yards.

Sympathetically renovated, this 18th-century stone-built cottage has its own waterwheel and lies at the edge of the small hamlet of Glenmidge. Semi-detached, it lies next to the owner’s home by the Glenmidge Burn, where the odd glimpse of an otter can be seen. Surrounded by hills and forest, the area has abundant wildlife including roe deer, foxes, badgers, tawny and barn owls, buzzards and red kites. There are trail paths for walking, running and mountain biking on the doorstep, but there are also flat routes and quiet country roads along the valley (maps are available in the cottage).
Less than a mile away up the glen stands the remains of the Lag Tower, which was built by the wealthy Grierson family in the 15th century and was last occupied by Sir Robert Grierson towards the end of the 17th century. He was best remembered as a notorious persecutor of the covenanters, and his headstone is in a local graveyard.
Situated on the Kirkpatrick Macmillan Cycle Trail, the cottage is only 5 miles away from the old Courthill Smiddy at Keir, where Kirkpatrick Macmillan invented the first pedal-driven bicycle in the world. A replica is in the museum 3 miles further on at the 17th-century Drumlanrig Castle at Thornhill. Open to the public, the castle has one hundred and twenty rooms, seventeen turrets and four towers, and is home to the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry. As well as beautiful grounds and river walks, it boasts one of the 7stanes cycle centres, with the Ae Forest close by.
Dalswinton Loch is 4 miles away with lovely walks, and there is a replica of the first paddle-driven steam boat in the world which made its first journey on the loch. The famous poet, Robert Burns, was one of the first passengers on board; he lived and worked the farm at Ellisland, where he wrote Auld Lang Syne and Tam o’ Shanter. Ellisland Farm is a museum and visitor centre, 3 miles away.
There are several golf courses to choose from in the area: Thornhill is 7 miles, and Dumfries is 9 miles, and both offer shops and plenty of restaurants and pubs. The highest golf course in Scotland is at Leadhills, near Wanlockhead, which is also the highest village in Scotland. Lying 17 miles away, it is famous for the mining of gold and lead, and you can visit the mining museum there. The River Nith and the River Cairn are both about 2 miles away in opposite directions, both being famous for salmon, sea trout and wild brown trout fishing. Day and season tickets are available to visitors. Each fisherman is permitted to keep two salmon per season. Loch fishing for trout and course fish are also available nearby. Beach 22 miles. Shop, pub and restaurant 2 miles.

This spacious sandstone cottage is surrounded by a large wrap-around garden, which is an ideal place for family fun and games. Inside, the large kitchen is open plan to the dining room, and makes a good social space for group meals. In the evening you can snuggle up in front of the cosy wood burner in the living room. Set only a few minutes from the motorway, this is the ideal location for exploring the diverse scenery that Dumfries and Galloway has to offer. You can enjoy beautiful walks along sandy beaches, through leafy forests, and through rolling, peaceful countryside. You will see abundant wildlife en route, including migrating Barnacle geese along the coast, which provide a great spectacle. For mountain bikers, four of the world-renowned 7stanes centres are nearby offering world class biking trails through beautiful forests. For keen golfers, there are several courses within easy reach.
Nearby, Moffat was once known as a spa town to rival the very best, and is still home to Scotland’s oldest pharmacy. Lockerbie, 5 miles, provides all the local amenities you would expect, and an ice rink with weekend skating in season. It also has a station offering good train services if you are wanting to explore slightly further afield to Carlisle, Edinburgh or Glasgow. Beach 19 miles. Shop and café serving food all day (bar facilities in the evening) ½ mile, restaurant 5 miles.

This fantastic, semi-detached cottage is only 100 yards from the gentle, sandy bathing beaches of this lovely stretch of the Solway Coast. Fairview offers spacious accommodation right in the middle of the popular seaside conservation village of Rockcliffe, with forest and coastal walks, runs (including round the coast to Kippford, the Solway Yacht Club and local pubs) and a lovely tea shop for midday refreshments. Access to Dalbeattie Forest and the famous 7stanes mountain bike trails are close by as are facilities golf, tennis, fishing, sailing and wind-surfing. Small boats are also allowed to be launched directly from the beach, if you fancy a day sailing and exploring the area, you can imagine being one of the smugglers who used to frequent the area.
The front of the house looks out over the bay towards Rough Island, a National Trust bird sanctuary, which is connected to the shore at low tide. Nearby RSPB Mersehead nature reserve and WWT Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve are also wildlife havens, and are a birdwatchers paradise. Local mountains to climb include Screel Hill, Ben Gairn and Criffell and historic towns to visit include Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbright and Gatehouse of Fleet. The wraparound garden provides peace and tranquillity, and is the perfect place to relax in the evening to enjoy a glass of wine as you watch a dramatic Solway sunset. Beach 100 yards. Shop and restaurant 1 mile, pub 2 miles.

This beautiful 19th century historic property, with spacious rooms, has been sympathetically renovated to retain many of its original features whilst providing a luxury holiday location whatever your needs. With an accessible kitchen with rise and fall counters x-y ceiling track hoists in two of the five large bedrooms and one wet room, electric profiling beds in three bedrooms, two large specialised wet rooms with level-access showers, low level basin and emergency pull chord alarm system, not to mention the lift, this house caters for everyone no matter what their everyday needs may be. The house and grounds were built on the moat bank of an 11th century Motte-and-bailey castle, the original seat of the ’De Brus’ family who were the ancestors of ’Robert the Bruce’ who was featured in the iconic film ’Braveheart’. The other side of the moat bank can still be seen from the peaceful sensory garden.

The Moat House is only a very short walk from the main street of Annan where you can enjoy a range of pubs and restaurants, or take in a film at the local cinema. There is plenty to do in the area with forests and coastal walks. There are lots of castles to explore in Dumfries and Galloway but Caerlaverock Castle is particularly interesting being a moated, triangular castle. In comparison though Drumlanrig Castle is a very impressive building with 120 rooms, 17 turrets and towers, and it is equally stunning inside, being filled with beautiful French furniture and an art collection which includes Rembrandt’s Old Woman Reading. Mabie Farm Park is always popular with families, from feeding farm animals, a ride on the ‘Choo Choo Express’, a gentle paddle around the boating lake to racing quad bikes, there is fun for kids of all sizes. Alternatively Gretna Gateway Outlet Village can provide hours of retail therapy. It was while living and working in nearby Dumfries that JM Barrie befriended a local family, and their adventures inspired him to write Peter Pan, hopefully your family will have equally fantastic adventures on your holidays. Within 5 miles there is coarse and trout fishing (at cost), river fishing (day ticket permit required) and sea fishing (free) all available (rod licence may be required). Beach 1½ miles. Shop and pub 200 yards, restaurant 400 yards.

This spacious cottage is situated in the popular town of Gatehouse of Fleet and is a perfect retreat from which to explore the Solway Coast with its many sandy beaches and rocky coves. Only a minutes walk from the town centre with shops, cafés and restaurants. The town also boasts The Mill on The Fleet, an exhibition of historical arts and skills. There is great walking throughout the area with the Galloway Forest Park having marked cycle paths and walks, bird and wildlife to enjoy. Also available throughout the area is fishing, golfing and watersports. Kirkcudbright the ’Artists Town’, offers many art and craft shops and Castle Douglas, Scotland’s food town with many specialist shops are both close by. Cardoness Castle and the local Cally Gardens with an unusual variety of plants are well worth a visit. Cream o’ Galloway for adventure playgrounds, family entertainment and of course, ice cream is within easy reach. Beach 2½ miles. Shop, pub and restaurant 300 yards.

Situated in the bustling harbour town of Stranraer, this deceptively spacious terraced cottage lies opposite Agnew Park with a pond, café and the sea beyond. Stranraer, situated at the head of Loch Ryan, is the gateway to the Rhinns of Galloway and for more than a century was a busy ferry port for services between south west Scotland and Northern Ireland. The town has many shops and there are plenty of places to dine out too. The town’s main attraction is the Castle of St John, a ruined four-storey tower house built around 1500, which sits on a green in the main street. There are several eye-catching artworks in the area surrounding the castle, and Stranraer Museum can be found in the old town hall. Close by are Castle Kennedy Gardens, with the castle, two lochs, a giant lily pond and an avenue of monkey puzzle trees. Logan Botanic Garden sits 13 miles south of the town and is home to exotic ferns and palms and a boasts a beautiful walled garden. The area is steeped in history and the landscape diverse, a haven for artists, birdwatchers and walkers. Portpatrick, 8 miles, lies at the start of the Southern Upland Way one of Scotland’s acclaimed long distance footpaths covering 212 miles to Cockburnspath on the east coast. The Mull of Galloway with its grass-roofed visitor centre is Scotland’s most southerly point with amazing views of Ireland, England, the Isle of Man and Scotland. Lucky visitors may spot seals and minke whales and will most certainly see a host of sea birds. Take the high speed ferry to Ireland for a spot of sightseeing or a shopping trip to Belfast. Beach 200 yards. Shop, pub and restaurant 150 yards.

Byre Cottage is a quirky, semi-detached character filled cottage converted from an old farm steading. With beautiful views out over Kirkcudbright to the River Dee estuary and onto the Solway Firth by the Little Ross Island below the hills of Cairnharrow and Cairnsmore of Fleet. The views continually change with the tide and season so you will never get tired of gazing out of the large windows. It is just a short walk into Kirkcudbright, known as the ’Artist’s Town’ as in the late 19th and early 20th-century it was home to many celebrated artists; the town had a long association with the Glasgow art movement. With local galleries still holding regular exhibitions of paintings and craftwork, it is still seen as a hub of contemporary art. More recently the town has provided a backdrop for a number of television shows and film including the cult 1973 horror film ’The Wicker Man’. There is nothing scary about the town itself though which is home to a range of independent shops, a castle and a bustling, working harbour with a scallop fleet. The area has a great number of sandy beaches providing great coastal walks with stunning backdrops. During the summer there are a whole host of events taking place including the Kirkcudbright Tattoo and firework display, the famous Riding of the Marshes, a children’s festival and a food festival. The quiet country roads are ideal for gentle bike rides, or if you fancy something a bit more rigorous you can tackle the 7Stanes, mountain biking heaven! Nearby the Galloway Activity Centre has exhilarating activities set on the banks of Loch Ken from paddle boarding and windsurfing to laser tag and climbing. For a more relaxed day why not take in a local museum, the wildlife park or a nature reserve with fantastic bird colonies. You’ll never get bored in the area and at the end of the day Byre Cottage is a warm and comfortable base to rest your weary head. Beach 3 miles. Shop, pub and restaurant 1 mile.
Scottish Letting Licence number: DG00404F.

The Steading at Nabny is a two bedroomed, detached barn conversion in a tranquil setting, surrounded by beautiful countryside and only a short drive from the historic old town of Kirkcudbright and the popular market town of Castle Douglas. Whilst offering peace and quiet, and exceptional dark skies, it is ideally placed to explore this stunning and unspoilt corner of south west Scotland. The Steading at Nabny, which is situated close to the owner’s home, has been beautifully converted and is extremely comfortable. The private courtyard is tucked away from the main courtyard, and offers peace and tranquillity for guests to enjoy those stunning dark skies. If weather conditions allow, the owner can offer astronomy sessions that take advantage of the beautiful dark skies and the opportunity to take astrophotographs. Whether you enjoy peaceful rural walks, a cosy evening by the wood burner or trips to see the local attractions, it’s the perfect location for a holiday.
The surrounding area has endless walks, from scenic coastal to forest trails. The attractions are endless, from sailing, fishing, golf, boat trips and water sports, to swimming and riding and much much more. Warmed by the Gulf Stream, there are stunning gardens to visit, including Threave Gardens (National Trust). Kirkcudbright, known as ’the artists’ town’, attracts visitors throughout the year who are drawn by the harbour, historic high street and the diverse range of annual events and visitor attractions. The popular programme of summer festivities culminates with the spectacular Tattoo, an event not to be missed. Beach 6 miles. Shop 5½ miles, pub and restaurant 6 miles.

The perfect getaway for a couple, this large and sumptuous, one-bedroomed, terraced house is decorated using a colour scheme of soft greys and a splash of green, and makes an ideal retreat away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Cosy up on the sofa in front of a blazing fire, or sit in the garden and enjoy the night sky. A wonderful ‘home from home’, Granary has it all - and your dog is welcome too!
It is set in a quiet street in Gatehouse of Fleet, a delightful village in this beautiful part of south west Scotland. Once known locally as the ‘Glasgow of the South’, the village used to have a thriving industry with cotton mills, shipbuilding, a brewery and its own port. Nowadays, its rich past can only be seen in the street names and inside the former textile mill, The Mill on the Fleet, which now houses exhibitions. There are many attractions in and around the town including the Mill on the Fleet Visitor Centre, Cardoness Castle and the popular Laggan Outdoor Activity Centre, home to one of Europe’s longest zip wires. For a more laid back day, there are delightful beaches just a few minutes’ drive away, including Mossyard and Carrick. The area has numerous walks available, from scenic coastal walks to forest trails. Together with sailing, swimming, riding, fishing, golf, boat trips and water sports close by, there is something for everyone. The area is warmed by the Gulf Stream, and many beautiful gardens flourish here, including Threave Gardens (National Trust). Granary is close to the Galloway Forest Park, the first Dark Sky Park in Europe, and being central to five of the 7Stanes, at Kirroughtree Forest and Dalbeattie Forest, it is a popular location for cyclists and mountain bikers. Kirroughtree has some of the best technical single track mountain bike trails in Scotland. Only a short drive away is Kirkcudbright, known as ‘the artists’ town’, which attracts visitors throughout the year who are drawn by the harbour, the historic high street and the diverse range of annual events and visitor attractions. The popular programme of summer festivities culminates with a spectacular tattoo - an event not to be missed! Shop 100 yards, pub and restaurant 20 yards.
Granary can be booked together with Knocktinkle (UK5243) and Willow (UK5244) to accommodate up to 10 guests.