Our easy-to-use website contains details and locations of places to visit around this area. Please select from:

	Places to Stay: Bed and Breakfast Hotels and Guest Houses Pubs with Accommodation Self Catering
	Places to Eat and Drink: Cafes, Coffee & Tea Shops Pubs serving Food Restaurants and Bistros
	Places of Interest: Places to Visit
	Gardens Centres: Garden Centres/Nurseries
	Specialist Shops: Antiques & Restoration Arts and Crafts Fashions Gifts Home and Garden Jewellery Food and Drink Shops

Castle Douglas

Castle Douglas is Scotland’s food town, and offers real Scottish produce, such as meat, fish, vegetables, baking and drinks in its many small, specialist shops. It is a pleasant town based round what was a small village known as “Carlingwark”. It was founded in the 18th century by William Douglas, a local merchant who earned his money trading with Virginia and the West Indies. He wanted to establish a thriving manufacturing town based on the woollen industry, and though he was only partly successful, he did lay the foundations for a charming town where some of his original 18th century buildings can still be seen.

On the edge of the town is Carlingwark Loch, where crannogs (dwellings built on artificial islands) have been discovered. It was joined to the River Dee in 1765 by Carlingwark Lane, a narrow canal. Marl, a limey clay used as manure, was dug from the bed of the loch and taken down river to Kirkcudbright on barges.

In Market Street is the Castle Douglas Art Gallery, gifted to the town in 1938 by the artist Ethel Bristowe. It hosts a continuing programme of painting, sculpture and craft exhibitions.

North west of the town, the Ken Dee Marches Nature Reserve follows the woodland and marshes along the River Dee and Loch Ken.