Follow the Robert the Bruce Trail
the pend leading to Whithorn Priory
Bruce's Stone above Loch Trool
Travel back 700 years on the Robert the Bruce Trail to see the castles and museums that bring to life the story of the man who won Scotland independence.
Experience the story of Robert the Bruce by following a trail, passing by the buildings, ruins, fields and caves which played an important role in his life.
Regarded as Scotland’s most successful monarch, Robert the Bruce was a nobleman from the south west, who gained his nation’s crown and won the country’s independence.
The Robert the Bruce Trail takes you back 700 years covering where he grew up, how he was influenced by people and where he forged his skills. The main trail is split into three, with an eastern, central and western section, while there is also a Dumfries Town Trail.
On the Eastern Trail you can access the cave in Kirkpatrick Fleming, where legend says that sometime around 1307, after suffering defeat, King Robert went into hiding for three months, and was inspired back into battle by a spider’s relentless effort to spin its web.
You can also play a round of golf on Lochmaben Golf Course and see the ruins of a motte and bailey castle built by the Bruces.
You can visit the sites of his first victories in battles at Glentrool and Raploch Moss, where he rested against a granite boulder after defeating an English army, on the Central Trail.
The Western Trail includes Whithorn, where Bruce went to pray at St Ninian’s Shrine on a last pilgrimage as he was dying.
In Dumfries, you’ll come across the site of Greyfriars monastery, where in 1306, Bruce murdered John Comyn, his chief rival for the throne, leading to his coronation. The Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura contains artefacts and replicas which will tell you more about this extraordinary Scot.
Following these trails is not only the perfect way to discover Scottish history, but a fantastic way to explore Dumfries & Galloway and see what else it has to offer, from breathtaking views to delicious produce.
You can find more information on the Robert the Bruce Trail and download a free leaflet.
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