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Dumfries and Galloway anyone?

3K views 48 replies 11 participants last post by  barryd 
#1 ·
When we leave Arran we are thinking of heading down to the Mull of Galloway and working our way along the coast towards Dumfries. I can see there are a fair few wild spots and some look ok but I am not sure at the moment if I still have a battery issue or not. Looking for recommendations for quiet, small sites or CLs etc and must sees along that coast. I have been a couple of times before but its a long time ago. We have the scooter so will explore on that so just looking for tucked away bases for the van.
 
#5 ·
You can't miss them knob. You need a map to look at and bingo.

Galloway Forest Park, Barrhill to Newtown Stewart, forest and lakes. I shouldn't post this one in public but Ballintrae along the front at the harbour, great spot. Mennockfoot on the flats beside the river near Sanquhar (A76) on the way up to Wanlockhead and Leadhills.

Too many forests, lakes and mountains to mention. Family members used to live in Wanlockhead in the highest inhabited house in Scotland. We spent many New Years in the highest hotel in Scotland, closed long ago unfortunately. You can go down the gold mine where HM the Qs ring came from, take a piece of chalk, or on second thoughts maybe don't bother.
 
#6 ·
I have been before. I went with my father when I was 18 and stayed with some retired head teacher friend of his on the coast near Glenluce. it was the most boring trip ever (Well that part of it) but i enjoyed some of the coast. I then went to Mull of Galloway camping with my mates a couple of years later and had a great time and I took Michelle to a posh hotel near The Isle of Whithorn when we first met in the office for our first dirty weekend. We did go in the van for a few days when we first got it in 2008 (before we got the scooter) but couldnt find anywhere to wild or any half decent sites so its all a bit of a blur really.

As said I might have to use some sites if my battery is actually on the blink. Would prefer to stay around the coast but may well venture inland if there is stuff worth seeing, Lochs etc.
 
#11 ·
Loch Ken on the A713 is worth a stay. We spent numerous holidays there during the 90's.

Most people by-pass this beautiful part of Scotland whilst heading for the Highlands, they never new what they were missing.
Will have a look. Might be nice for a bit of Kayaking. Depends on the weather of course. Autumn has come almost overnight here on Arran and it feels suddenly colder and darker. Ive enjoyed doing a bit of Kayaking here around the coast but at least with a Loch there wont be any tides to worry about. I have to time them right because my knees are so knackered I cant carry the blooming thing very far. :D
 
#20 · (Edited)
Been here, swam in the lake with our 2 white GSD's and had the most wonderful weather in the 1980'is, I have a video of it on YouTube. Not that it will be in the area you want. We heard the bagpipes being played at the Queens view when we were there, I think it used to be every Sunday a piper would play. It was also here one of our dogs, Yuni, was taught to ignore sheep with the help of the sheep farmers orphaned lamb.
It was just an area where caravans were allowed in those days, no facilities.
https://www.google.de/maps/uv?pb=!1...pMZSvBKaUiGV152w57DcNSce-jCYFtiLhK__9s9&hl=en
 
#28 ·
Someone on the wildies has also said Loch Doon gets busy especially at weekends where it brings in "undesirables" From Glasgow which is not that far away.

Will see what happens. All up in the air at the moment.

Anyway if I go dark again for a while its because we are about to go off grid again and cut the chord :D

Will at least see if I have a battery problem in the next 24/48 hours. I cant even see the sea its that misty and pishing down.

Thanks for all the help.
 
#29 ·
Gotta be careful near Glascow, places can tend to fill up late on with company we might rather avoid.
We were surrounded by druggies selling from and partying in cars at Mugdock Park one night. Very civilised by day.

I think I got the name right.
 
#30 ·
Sorry, no It's Glasgow Alan.

No need to thank me.
 
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#32 ·
I knew that, but you have to take your mirth where you can find it, I don't get out much these days, Billy no mates etc.
 
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#33 ·
Back online briefly. In my younger days I used to love Glasgow. When I had a proper job it was always me that got sent there as the shandy drinking suvverners were too scared to go. The entire Glasgow staff would turn our for a pish up whenever I turned up and it was always a brilliant couple of days.

Back on topic I think we will head down the coast to the Mull of Galloway and miss our loch Doon. Maybe go up to Loch Ken when we head east along the coast.

Still not sure what's going on with the battery. We were off grid last night after four days on EHU and after a night of telly and general usage it was reading 12.3 at bed time (11:30) but is showing 12.9 this morning and now 13.1 with no real solar charge going in so it's all a bit odd. I think therefore I'll just wing it and see how it goes. If it dies it dies. I think we will leave Arran early next week if we can get a ferry booked tomorrow.

Hopefully we may well be out into early October which is not bad going considering we were a gnats knob away from selling the van back in May but decided to naff off in June on a bit of a trip :D
 
#35 ·
Dunno, I'll tell you next week all being well :( :( :(
 
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#36 ·
Ferry booked back to the mainland for Tuesday morning. That was literally the only one available. Never known that before. There are too many motorhomes here now and that worries me. On my favourite wild spot we were on our own initially but joined by six other vans last night. Usually it's two or three max on here and I counted 9 on the car park at blackwater foot beach out on the scooter the other day which left very little space for cars and it's popular. I would be pissed off if I was a local. Thankfully the community is pretty laid back. Twice as busy with vans as August and then some. It's like Brittany in July.

So I wonder what the Mull of Galloway and the south coast will be like. Will call a few sites there today which should give me an idea.
 
#37 ·
Hi, you mentoned the Isle of Whithorn. When I was last down there I noticed a few vans parked at the end of the harbour in a little grass car park with a portaloo on the harbour, it looked a nice spot for the night. Cant see any problems there. Also just south of Dumfries at Glencaple harbour, there is 6 spots looking over the river and 2 miles further on at Caerlaverock Castle is a parking area for approx 10 with water and dumping. Both run by the local community and just ask for a donation.
Girvan harbour now has an official aires on the harbour £5 a night with dumping.
South of Girvan on the south side of Lendalfoot is a layby by the sea, ideal spot for lunch and an interesting monument about a russian ship that sunk of the coast there.
Have a nice time.
Derek
 
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