West - The Machars
a Wigtown book shop
Newton Stewart
Glenluce Abbey
Whithorn Harbour
Uncover the Machars peninsula, home to Scotland’s National Book Town and a number of striking historical towns and villages.
Just to the east of the Rhinns of Galloway lies the Machars peninsula. Here you’ll find a number of beautiful towns and villages that are not to be missed.
A small market town in the heart of the Galloway hills, Newton Stewart is a great base for a range of outdoor activities. Situated on the banks of the River Cree and surrounded by hills, Newton Stewart is famous for its excellent salmon and trout fishing. The town is also the main hub for hill walkers and mountain bikers due to its close proximity with the Galloway Forest Park, Britain’s largest forest park.
Wigtown, Scotland’s National Book Town, has around 30 book-related businesses and over 250,000 books, both old and new to choose from. Spend the day burrowing your way through the many shelves and stop for a break in a local coffee shop to flick through the pages of your find. From Wigtown, travel south down the coast until you reach Garlieston, a small coastal village with a charming harbour.
The Isle of Whithorn and town of Whithorn are famous for their connections with St Ninian, who first brought Christianity to Scotland. Discover the tales of the local community at the Whithorn Story Visitor Centre or get active with an array of outdoor activities in the vicinity.
To the east of Whithorn, Port William and the surrounding area boasts safe beaches and an array of wildlife. North is Glenluce, where you can explore the 12th century Cistercian Glenluce Abbey.
Travel east to Creetown, which acquired cult status amongst movie buffs as the filming location for classic horror movie, The Wicker Man. It’s also home to the Creetown Heritage Museum and award-winning Gem Rock Museum, where you can see the finest private collection of gemstones, crystals, rocks and fossils, in the UK.
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