Kirkcudbright
Gatehouse of Fleet lies on the edge of the Galloway Forest Park which is one of Scotland's national scenic areas. Nestling at the tip of the Fleet estuary the town has plenty to offer, from stunning hill and costal scenery, to an historic castle and award winning food. There's also a chemist, small supermarket, gift shops and a post office.
Gatehouse of Fleet
Out & about around Gatehouse of Fleet
Castle Douglas
Kirkcudbright
Dumfries
Galloway Forest
Dark Skies
To see & do
Kirkcudbright is a harbour town on the Solway coast that has always been popular with artists. Located 8.5miles
from Cally Lodges, its blend of colourful Medieval,
Georgian and Victorian buildings, became a magnet for Scottish artists in the late 19th century.
MacLellan's Castle is a ruined 16th century tower house by the harbourside and nearby is Broughton House,which was once the home of the artist Edward Hornel.
There's also plenty of shops cafes and restaurants to
temp your purse or palate.
Castle Douglas an 18th century market town, is aprox 14mls from Cally Lodges and is a designated 'Food Town' with lots of local produce on offer.
The town has a wealth of independent shops selling
a great variety of goods. With its food connection,
it boasts many cafes and restaurants which includes
Indian, Italian & Chinese. There's also a Tesco, CoOp, post office and filling station.
Aprox 31mls from Cally Lodges lies Dumfries, a former royal burgh with an interesting history and special connection to Scotland’s National Bard Robert Burns, along with Peter Pan author JM Barrie. This is a thriving town with plenty to see & do having all the usual high street shops we're used to seeing.
Cally Lodges sit on the edge of Galloway Forest Park offering spectacular views, a must for any budding photographer. There's 300sq mls to explore in this,
Britain's largest forest park, with red and roe deer roaming free, protected red squirrels and birds of prey patrolling the skies. If it's cycling you're into then why not hire a bike and explore miles of forest tracks
from seashore to mountaintops.
Due to its remoteness, Galloway Forest Park is designated
as only one of four 'Dark Sky Parks' in the western
world. With its limited pollution you'll be witness to spectacular star gazing amid an inky blue sky.
Within the park is a fantastic observatory based at Dalmellington, so a trip there is a must for any
amateur or serious astronomer.
Dumfries and Galloway has some beautiful historic houses,
like Drumlanrig Castle, set in 2000 acres of land and Dumfries House saved from auction by Prince Charles, now restored to its former glory. For the more adventurous
amongst us try your hand at clay pigeon shooting, or a bit
of archery at 'Laggan Outdoor Activity Centre' just outside Gatehouse. If you have a dog, there's plenty of sandy
beaches and miles of forest tracks on the doorstep to roam with your faithful friend.
Eating out
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Within walking distance of Cally Lodges, Gatehouse
has a variety of pubs, restaurants and cafes.
'The Murray Arms Hotel' with a menu boasting an abundance of local produce, sits neatly next door to The 'Masonic Arms', offering pub meals in a cosy atmosphere. At the other end of the high street,
'The Mill on the Fleet' cafe ,with its riverside terrace, serves delicious food and scrummy cakes. They're also
dog friendly too, so your pooch doesn't have to miss out either. In addition there's 'Galloway Country Style'
cafe, the 'Ship Inn' and 'Bank of Fleet' pub
to choose from.
Just 4.5 miles from Gatehouse is 'Cream o Galloway', where you can indulge in organic food and their delicious award winning ice cream.