Stretching for 9 miles northwest of Castle Douglas between the A713 and A762, Loch Ken is a popular outdoor recreational area. The range of water sports includes windsurfing, sailing, canoeing, power-boating and kayaking. There are also walking trails and rich bird life. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has a nature reserve on the western bank, north of Glenlochar. The eastern shore is great for watching red kites.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
29.51 MILES
‘Lead mining’: even the phrase has a sort of dulling effect on the brain, and you’d think it’d be a tough ask to make the subject interesting. But this…
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19.4 MILES
The ruins of Caerlaverock Castle, by Glencaple on a beautiful stretch of the Solway coast, are among the loveliest in Britain. Surrounded by a moat, lawns…
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24.08 MILES
Ruined Whithorn Priory (Scotland's earliest recorded church) is part of this excellent complex, which introduces you to the history of the place with a…
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24 MILES
Seven miles east of Caerlaverock Castle, in tiny Ruthwell, a church holds one of Europe’s most important early Christian monuments. The 6m-high 7th…
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16.82 MILES
This is a place of pilgrimage for Burns enthusiasts. It's here that the poet spent the last years of his life, and there are various possessions of his in…
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14.97 MILES
If your kids are complaining about historic sights and Robert Burns, pack up the clan and get down to this spot, between Dumfries and New Abbey off the…
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10.86 MILES
The 18th-century Broughton House displays paintings by EA Hornel, one of the Glasgow Boys (he lived and worked here). The library, with its wood panelling…
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3.98 MILES
Two miles west of Castle Douglas, this impressive tower sits on a small river island. Built in the late 14th century, it became a principal stronghold of…
Nearby Dumfries & Galloway attractions
3.98 MILES
Two miles west of Castle Douglas, this impressive tower sits on a small river island. Built in the late 14th century, it became a principal stronghold of…
4.82 MILES
You can see traditional brewing processes at this main-street alemaker's. Tours, which include a pint, only run twice a week, at 1pm on Monday and Friday …
10.29 MILES
In the centre of town, in a converted 18th-century cotton mill, this centre has an exhibition on the history of the local industry and environment. The…
10.81 MILES
Near the harbour, this is a large, atmospheric ruin built in 1577 by Thomas MacLellan, then provost of Kirkcudbright, as his town residence. Inside, look…
10.86 MILES
The 18th-century Broughton House displays paintings by EA Hornel, one of the Glasgow Boys (he lived and worked here). The library, with its wood panelling…
10.87 MILES
This new conversion of the town hall into a shiny new gallery opened just after we last passed by. There's a permanent exhibition on this town's artistic…
10.93 MILES
There's a certain charm to this higgledy-piggledy old-fashioned local history museum. There's everything from coronation teacups to lumps of local granite…
10.94 MILES
As well as catering for today's local artists and holding a cinema, this centre has an exhibition on the history of the town's artistic development. The…