Recommended sites in Dumfries & Galloway?

[bluewater]

Hi
We are about to take our first tour in Dumfries and Galloway - any members recommendations of good sites would be appreciated. I would prefer a fairly level site with hard standing and electricity - also to have an outlook out over the sea, to the west if possible. Any recommendations?
Thanks
Elliot

 

[colin-yorkshire]

good question, B) went up there every year for about 20 years never had a sea view, too many dam midges to camp near water, think there a couple near Ayr but there is not much to do in Ayr. there is a very good site in Crocketford just out side Dumfries though. I'm probably the wrong person to respond to your request as the sites we used were inland and very remote.

 

[Raywood]

If you are not a CC member I would say Brighouse Bay. If you are then the club have two good sites at New England Bay and Garlieston. Ayr is along way North for that region.
Midges should not be a problem there you are too far South they only become a problem North of Glasgow.

 

[colin-yorkshire]

Midges should not be a problem there you are too far South they only become a problem North of Glasgow.

in that case Ray they must have moved Glasgow south of Penrith :lol: :lol: :lol: stopped at loch maben two years ago for 2nights on our way up to Dornoch. got eaten alive and it was early may. never got to Dornoch decided to go south east instead.

 

[Mel]

I haven't been to Brighouse Bay in about 12 years but back then it was a lovely site with direct access to a quiet beach, a not too busy clubhouse and a pool. Went twice, both times in the summer. Don't remember any midges. Kirkcudbright was a lovely town.
Mel

 

[sgtangel]

Hi Bluewater,
We will be visiting D&G in a few weeks, and have heard very positive reports about Castlebay in Portpatrick, which overlooks Dunskey Castle ruins. It is shown for a few seconds in the opening credits of Elaine C Smith`s recent TV programme "A Burdz Eye View" (which you can catch on STV Player online - Portpatrick episode).
We will be checking that one out, as well as Sand of Luce, in nearby Sandhead (South facing beach - also well recommended)
Southerness is a very nice area (albeit not really near anything), but several of the the sites there are larger, with on site entertainment etc, so that might not be your thing

No need to worry about midges in D&G, they only start to appear as you head North towards Prestwick into Ayrshire.

 

[Raywood]

Midges should not be a problem there you are too far South they only become a problem North of Glasgow.

in that case Ray they must have moved Glasgow south of Penrith :lol: :lol: :lol: stopped at loch maben two years ago for 2nights on our way up to Dornoch. got eaten alive and it was early may. never got to Dornoch decided to go south east instead.

Colin, Not sure what you met but pretty sure it was not Scottish midges. Wonder if they were blackflies which are a different species. I have been to Dumfries and Galloway numerous times and never been bitten by anything so cannot understand your problem but Lochmaben is well South of any regular haunt of the midges.
We are just outside Glasgow and no problems hear either although you can get bitten by the time you reach Loch Lomond but the real problems begin further North than that.

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi Ray,
you know what they say about dogs " if looks like a dog, barks like a dog,and cocks it leg up, it's a, dog.
well if it's black and stripey, so small it gets through the fly nets, and thinks your dinner, it's a midge. :woohoo:

Lochmaben was not the only place we got bit Largs was bad but Loch Ken was ok if you did not venture out at dusk, and by the way Loch Lomond is bug central, it is where they filmed monarch of the glen and every day of filming the put out dozens of midge catchers out on the set, in one series they caught an estimated one ton of the little blighters with each of the filters having to be changed every 30 mins,
true there arn't as many south of Glasgow, but they are there, the further you are away from the water the better it is,
worst month July, worst area Argyll and Bute. I love the west coast but only before may and after sept. may be I am just one of those that are seen a walking dinner. and they queue up for a meal as soon as I load up the van, :lol: :lol:
getting holidays ruined is one of the reasons we switched to the south coast.

 

[colin-yorkshire]

Kirkcudbright was a lovely town.
Mel

yes it is Mel. caught many a grey Mullet of those rocks, only trouble we had with it was the rain. dont know why!! but it always seemed to rain when we went, set off nice and sunny, get through Dalbeattie to the turn near the quarry.
right for Newton Stewart, left for Ker'coo'bree go right it was dry, go left it rained, :woohoo: :S