Author: Craig Neil
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Last updated on March 5th, 2023.
5 minutes to read.Free attractions in Dumfries and Galloway
- Agnew Park
- Dalbeattie Museum
- Dock Park
- Eskrigg Nature Reserve
- Galloway Forest Park
- Grey Mares Trail Nature Reserve
- Mossburn Animal Centre
- Red Deer Range Trail
- Sanquhar Tolbooth Museum
- (A) St. Ninians Cave
- (B) Station Park
- (C) The Mill on the Fleet
- (D) The Mull of Galloway Trail
If you’d like to discover even more places to visit, take a look at the Scottish Tourist Attractions Map.
Agnew Park
- Address: Agnew Crescent, Stranraer, Wigtownshire, DG9 7JZ
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Tel Number: +44 (1776) 703535
- Email Address: karen.brownlie@dumgal.gov.uk
- Website: Agnew Park
About: Agnew Park has a wide range of leisure facilities including a boating lake, a miniature railway that takes a complete tour of the park, a play island, an 18-hole putting green, and a mini car racing circuit. In addition, there is a café serving a range of hot and cold refreshments.
Dalbeattie Museum
- Address: Southwick Rd, Dalbeattie, DG5 4BS
- Opening Times: April to October: Mon-Sat 11:00 till 16:00
- Tel Number: 01556 611657
- Email Address: info@dalbeattiemuseum.co.uk
- Website: Dalbeattie Museum
About: Dalbeattie Museum is a fascinating wee museum that was set up with a vision to record the town’s history through a collection of artefacts, displays, and photographs that have been chosen for their contribution to the social history of Dalbeattie.
Dock Park
- Address: Dock Park, Dumfries, DG1 2RY
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Tel Number: 01387 245911
- Email Address: contact@dumgal.gov.uk
- Website: Dock Park
About: The most prominent feature of Dock Park is the nineteenth-century bandstand that plays host to frequent events throughout the year.
The rest of the park borders a riverside that is extremely popular in summer, while a large children’s play park, a historic maze, and a Peter Pan-themed mini golf area are used by families year-round.
Eskrigg Nature Reserve
- Address: Quaas Loaning, Lockerbie, DG11 1HY
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Tel Number: N/A
- Email Address: N/A
- Website: Eskrigg Nature Reserve
About: Eskrigg Nature Reserve is a peaceful site that was once an old curling pond, but is now maintained by a local charity.
There are various paths to follow around the adjacent woodland which offer visitors the chance to see plenty of wildlife, while a mountain bike trail is a favourite with those feeling a little more energetic.
Galloway Forest Park
- Address: Creebridge, Newton Stewert, DG8 6AJ
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Tel Number: 01671 402420
- Email Address: galloway@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
- Website: Galloway Forest Park
About: Galloway Forest Park covers an impressive three hundred square miles of prime forest in the heart of southern Scotland.
Stretching from seashore to mountain, the park is home to an abundance of wildlife and visitors can frequently see red and roe deer and several species of birds of prey in its forest, moorland and lochs.
Grey Mares Trail Nature Reserve
- Address: Moffat Valley, Moffat, Dumfriesshire, DG10 9DP
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Tel Number: 07713 786230
- Email Address: information@nts.org.uk
- Website: Grey Mares Trail
About: This spectacular trail features one of the highest waterfalls in the UK where the tumbling waters of Loch Skeen plunge 60 metres down the Moffat Water Valley.
Walkers will often catch sight of ospreys, peregrine falcons and wild goats as they traverse the glacier-scarred terrain.
Mossburn Community Farm
- Address: Mossburn Community Farm, Hightae, Lockerbie, DG11 1LE
- Opening Times: Contact site for details
- Tel Number: 01387 811288
- Email Address: mossburnanimalcentre2@hotmail.com
- Website: Mossburn Animal Centre
About: The Mossburn Animal Centre was established to care for abused, unwanted and neglected animals and is home to a wide variety of farm, domestic and exotic animals.
The charity organization prides itself on providing education for children through its interesting tours and also features a tearoom and a shop.
Red Deer Range Trail
- Address: Castle Douglas, DG7 2BL
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Tel Number: 0300 067 6156
- Email Address: fcscotland@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
- Website: Red Deer Range Trail
About: The Red Deer Range offers visitors the chance to see over 60 red deer in their natural environment thanks to a purpose-built viewing area and hide. Numerous paths allow visitors to experience all areas of the forest and guided walks are available in summer.
Sanquhar Tolbooth Museum
- Address: High Street, Sanquhar, Dumfries & Galloway, DG4 6BN
- Opening Times: Apr to Sept: Tues to Sun 10:00 (14:00 Sun) to 17:00
- Tel Number: +44 (1659) 50186
- Email Address: dumfries.museum@dumgal.gov.uk
- Website: Sanquhar Tolbooth Museum
About: This museum is dedicated to Sanquhar’s renowned knitting industry as well as the mines and miners of Sanquhar and Kirkconnel.
The 18th-century tollbooth is a fascinating backdrop to the audiovisual presentations which include explanations of what prison life was like in Sanquhar jail.
The Solway Firth
- Address: Southerness beach: Dumfries, DG2 8AX or Rockcliffe beach: Dalbeattie, DG5 4QQ
- Opening Times: 24/7, 365 days a year
- Out About Scotland Complete Guide: The Solway Firth
About: The Solway Firth is the third-largest estuary in the UK and is one of Scotland’s most beautiful nature reserves.
The reserve comprises a number of habitats that are home to a wide array of animals, birds and insects across salt flats, sand dunes, grasslands, and marshes.
Visitors to the Solway Firth can enjoy coastal walks and secluded beaches as well as a number of historic sites such as Caerlaverock Castle.
St. Ninians Cave
- Address: St Ninian’s Cave, Nr Whithorn, Dumfries & Galloway, DG8
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Tel Number: 0131 668 8600
- Email Address: hs.explorer@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
- Website: St. Ninians Cave
About: St. Ninians cave lies in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the beach of Physgill, close to Whithorn.
Visitors can explore the dark and gloomy depths of the sea cave where St. Ninian supposedly had a hermitage, while the stony beach is perfect for taking a relaxing afternoon stroll.
Station Park
- Address: Beattock Road, A701, Moffat, DG10 9HF
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Tel Number: 01683 220 697
- Email Address: beechgrove.leisurecentre@dumgal.gov.uk
- Website: Station Park
About: This family park and boating pond, set in beautiful surroundings, is a superb place for families to enjoy a wide range of activities. In addition to the manicured gardens there is a boating lake, a putting green, an interactive water feature, and a children’s play park.
The Mill on the Fleet
- Address: High Street, Gatehouse of Fleet, DG7 2HS
- Opening Times: Mar to Oct: 10:00 – 17:00
- Tel Number: 01557 814099
- Email Address: millonthefleet@btopenworld.com
- Website: Mill on The Fleet
About: The Mill on the Fleet was built in 1788 as a cotton spinning mill, but today it is used as an exhibition centre for the heritage of the local area.
The main exhibition floor houses displays that provide a glimpse into the life and times of Gatehouse and Fleet Valley, and there is also a café and a bookshop.
The Mull of Galloway Trail
- Address: Various points of entry. See website for details.
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Tel Number: 01776 707408
- Email Address: info@mullofgallowaytrail.co.uk
- Website: Mull of Galloway Trail
About: The Mull of Galloway Trail runs from Mull to Stranraer, and Stranraer to Glenapp, across 35 miles (56.33 km) of stunning south Scotland terrain that not only provides breathtaking views but is also rich in wildlife.
Visitors to the trail will frequently see red deer, red squirrels, seals and a wide variety of wild Scottish flora and fauna.
Discover more free places to visit in Scotland with: The Best FREE Things to Do in Scotland – Ultimate Visitor Guide.
