The Stewartry

1. The Food Town of Castle Douglas is close to the eastern edge of Galloway and it's here that the Real Galloway Tourist Route starts.

There are more than 50 independently-operated businesses here, offering a mouth-watering selection of locally-produced food, confectionery and drink.

Here, you can still find traditional butchers, fishmongers, bakers and delicatessens alongside other independently-operated shops so unlike the uniformity of other high streets up and down the country.

Nearby is 14th-century Threave Castle, built on an island in the middle of the River Dee. Visitors to the Castle, which is cared for by Historic Scotland, must ring a bell and wait for the boatman to take them across.

2. From Castle Douglas, take the A75 for approximately a mile and a half, until you see a sign for the A711 to Kirkcudbright.

In her book, Five Red Herrings, the author Dorothy L Sayers said of Kirkcudbright, 'one either fishes or paints.'

This picturesque town with its small fishing harbour has been home to several distinguished artists including E.A. Hornel, Jessie M. King and her husband, E.A. Taylor and Charles Oppenheimer are perhaps the most prominent. The town also attracted visiting artists in the summer months such as the Scottish colourist S.J. Peploe.

Kirkcudbright's artistic heritage is charted in the Tolbooth Art Centre, The Stewartry Museum and the Hornel Art Gallery. In the town centre is the substantial ruin of Castle MacLellan which is open to visitors, whilst nearby is Tongland Power Station, a hydo-electricity generating plant, also open to visitors in the summer months. The Wickerman Music Festival is held at nearby Dundrennan every July while the town also hosts an annual tattoo, jazz and summer festival.

3. Leave Kirkcudbright on the A755 which rejoins the A75 at Gatehouse-of-Fleet.

Cross the A75 at this junction and head into Gatehouse. This attractive town on the River Fleet has a Mill on the Fleet visitor centre and several fine country-style pubs and eating places. The town hosts a number of festivals during the summer months including a Beer Festival. The chemist shop in the town was used in the filming of the 1970s cult classic The Wickerman starring Edward Woodward. There are also many attractive walks close by and sandy beaches, the most notable at Mossyard (around two miles drive along the A75 towards Newton Stewart.)

Richard Hannay, the central character in John Buchan's 39 steps, jumped train near Gatehouse-of-Fleet. The Big Water of Fleet viaduct still stands amid stunning moorland scenery, although the railway was axed by Beeching in the 60s.

4. At Creetown, visitors will find the world renowned Gem Rock Museum housing the finest private collection of gemstones, crystals, minerals, rocks and fossils in Britain. Creetown also has a Heritage Museum charting the history of the locality. Two miles outside the village is Balloch Wood, an attractive woodland area with trails.

Continue the Route into the Machars by clicking into the next page here.

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