Kirkcudbright has been a Royal Burgh since 1455 and history is evident everywhere you look in this ancient town. From MacLellan’s Castle begun in 1577, which still stands guard over the harbour and surrounding streets to the famous artists community which was founded by the Glasgow art movement. This legacy is still thriving today and if you wish to explore this further then a visit to the National Trust for Scotland’s Broughton House (home of artist E. A. Hornel) is a must. Kirkcudbright also has famous connections to both the cinema and literature, with the town being used for scenes in the cult movie, The Wicker Man. Kirkcudbright’s artist community was also the setting for Dorothy L. Sayer’s most famous novel, Five Red Herrings. Meanwhile, today Kirkcudbright remains an important fishing port for the delicious queen scallops, more commonly known as ‘queenies’. The town is blessed with an excellent selection of shops, restaurants, pubs and sporting facilities to suit the needs of all visitors.
However, do not restrict your visit to the town itself because the surrounding area has an overwhelming wealth of attractions and places of interests. As a family we particularly enjoy the infinite number of walks that can be undertaken in the whole of the region, taking in both interesting places and stunning views. If you fancy something a little less strenuous then you could visit the many beautiful towns and villages, castles, abbeys, museums, golf courses, forests, inland and coastal scenery and, if you are an early riser, you could even manage a day trip to Northern Ireland, the Ayrshire coast or even Glasgow or Edinburgh!
