An overview of this beautiful hidden region of southern Scotland.

1. SCOTTISH
NEWS
lDirect flights to Orlando operate
from Glasgow via both Thomas Cook
and Virgin Atlantic this summer, and
there’s a new theme park, Volcano Bay,
as seen page 4 of Travel this week. The
water park, Universal Orlando’s third
venue, spans 28 acres and offers
experiences ranging from daring to
serene. Visitors can enjoy a multi-
directional wave pool with sandy
beaches, a peaceful winding river,
twisting multi-rider raft rides, and
speeding body slides.
universalorlando.co.uk
lWith daily flights from Edinburgh to
Doha, Qatar Airways has launched a
stopover package with Qatar Tourism
Authority. It offers transit passengers
the opportunity to discover Doha with
free luxury hotel stays and
complimentary transit visas. The
unique offer is part of a broader
campaign called +Qatar which looks to
encourage transit passengers to add
Qatar to their itinerary. Passengers
book a flight on the qatarairways.com
home page, select “multi-city” and
choose their hotel once they receive
their flight confirmation.
lDepart July 15 on a river cruise along
the Rhône from Lyons in Provence to
Port St Louis on the south coast of
France and back on board A-Rosa
Stella. Children can visit the bridge,
meet the captain, play in the pool,
enjoy outdoor games and take part in a
jeep safari into the Rhône delta with its
black bulls, white horses and
flamingos. Ports of call include Lyons,
Viviers, Avignon, Arles, Port St Louis,
Tournon and back to Lyon. From
£3,399 for a family of four including
seven nights, breakfast, lunch, dinner
and all drinks onboard, return flight
from Edinburgh to Lyons for all,
transfers and taxes plus a VIP home
pick-up service from home to airport
(within 50 miles). 0800 440 2797,
cosmos.co.uk
a photographer’s darkroom 24. The best
places to connect with the heavens are
Clatteringshaws visitor centre, which
overlooks the darkest part of the park,
and the panoramic viewing points at
either end of the Carrick Forest Drive.
lGorgeous gardens. Gardeners in
Dumfries and Galloway have it easy.
Warmed by the Gulf Stream, they have a
climate unrivalled in Scotland for its
balmy temperatures and plenty of soft
rain. Gardeners make the most of this in
exotic Logan Botanic Garden near
Stranraer and Threave Garden, Castle
Douglas, while the magnificent trees
around Drumlanrig Castle, used as a
filming location for Outlander, enhance
the historic “pink palace”.
lArts and crafts. More than 400 artists
and craftsmen make Dumfries and
DARKSKIESAND
D&GHIGHLIGHTS
Its unspoilt forests, hills and coastline make Dumfries and Galloway a haven for bikers,
walkers and golfers, not to mention star-gazers, writes Scottish travel editor Katie Wood
L
et’s talk about D&G. No, not
Dolce & Gabbana, a far less
well-known brand, but good
old Dumfries and Galloway, the
often overlooked part of
southwest Scotland. It’s gentle, nostalgic
and ideal for a relaxing break.
In a previous life, I had a boyfriend who
hailed from these parts and so became
acquainted with the region. His family
were a farming lot, so I had less to do with
Dumfries, more with the beautiful and
unspoilt countryside. Up until that point, I
scarcely knew Dum and Gal existed, but
that introduction was to spark off a love
affair that carries on to this day. Eh, that’s
only with the region, just to clarify.
Essentially rural, with lively towns and
villages set in a spectacular combination
of coast and countryside, Dumfries and
Galloway offers sunny, mild summers,
attractive gardens and impressive hotels
and restaurants, plus a surprising amount
to do if you want to be active outdoors.
From stone circles and chambered
cairns more than four millennia old, to
medieval castles and battlefields, or
viewing the Milky Way at the “dark skies”
experience, there’s plenty to discover.
So, my top reasons to visit?
lGreat walking. This region has no less
than 1,300 miles of way-marked walking
routes. The Galloway Forest Park offers
miles of well-marked and graded paths.
You can also watch out for red kites
and follow in the footsteps of John
Buchan’s great fictional hero Richard
Hannay in The Thirty-Nine Steps. Buchan
used to holiday in Gatehouse of Fleet, so
he knew the area well.
lExcellent cycling. It’s one of the biggest
areas in Europe for national cycling
routes, with a National Byway traversing
the region. There are also five of the
country’s 7Stanes mountain biking
centres, at Ae, Mabie, Dalbeattie,
Kirroughtree and Glentrool forests.
lGood value golf. With 30 courses for all
abilities, it’s worth knowing about the
Gateway to Golf Pass. This allows you to
play three of the region’s golf courses over
five consecutive days for just £80, or six
rounds for £120.
lStar-gazing. More than 7,000 stars and
planets are visible with the naked eye
from the Galloway Forest Park — the first
designated UK dark sky park. It has a sky
quality reading of 21-23.6. The scale runs
from 0 to 25; Edinburgh would get 8, and
Drumlanrig
Castle, film set
for Outlander
Galloway their home, and the region has a
strong artistic tradition— nowhere more
so than picturesque harbour town of
Kirkcudbright on the Solway coast. The
light and landscape of this coastal town
was the reason for the establishment of an
artists’ colony in the early 1900s which
became known as the Kirkcudbright
school. The town’s most renowned artistic
residents included EA Hornel, whose
house is now a museum and who
introduced several of the Glasgow Boys to
the region. There was also the illustrator
Jessie M King and her husband EA Taylor
and colourist Charles Oppenheimer, with
the Faed family hailing from nearby
Gatehouse of Fleet. The Wigtown Book
festival is another highlight.
visitdumfriesandgalloway.co.uk
6 May 28, 2017 The Sunday Times
Travel
6 May 28, 2017 The Sunday Times
Travel
Sango Sands bar. To the west of John
O’Groats, a short detour to Dunnet Head is
well worth your while — there’s a thrill to
be had knowing that as you gaze across
the Pentland Firth, you are, at that
moment, the most northerly person on
mainland Britain.
In Fortrose, on the Black Isle, get along
to Chanonry Point at low tide for a chance
to see the Moray Firth dolphins.
Camp sites are plentiful and the cost of
a motorhome pitch varies from £17 to £26,
including electric hook-up. And there’s
also wild camping, which costs nothing.
The route is undoubtedly helping
fragile rural economies. Last year, the
NC500 is credited with boosting tourism
by £9m, although, strange as it may seem,
some smaller businesses have complained
about the influx of visitors.
Signage along the route could be
improved. A wrong turn in search of a
campsite in Achmelvich took us down a
narrow country lane unsuited to larger
vehicles and required a — rather stressful
— nine-point turn to get back on track.
But this is a minor niggle. If official
surveys are anything to go by, 70% of
those who complete the route intend to
return. For those who haven’t considered
the NC500, put it on your bucket list.
Bunk Campers is Scotland’s largest
motorhome company, with 60 vehicles
available to rent from its base in West
Lothian; www.bunkcampers.com. Ever
fancied fly-fishing? Contact Roger Dowsett
at TroutQuest for a masterclass. Prices
from £60 per person, for a half day of
instruction on a private loch near Dingwall
(based on two people). Guided trout and
salmon fishing excursions from £200 per
day for two anglers. For more information
on the North Coast 500, see the official
website, northcoast500.com
T
here’s a bit of a commotion
about the North Coast 500,
and not just from the extra
traffic rumbling around the
Highlands. Since its launch
two years ago, a 500-mile coastal tour of
Scotland’s remoter parts has been
described as one of the world’s best road
trips — right up there with the US Route 66
— and it’s now a top “reason to travel”.
But does reality match the hype? To
find out, we hit the road in a luxury four-
berth campervan courtesy of those nice
folk at Bunk Campers. There are cheaper
ways to enjoy a road trip (we travelled in a
Vista Plus model, weekly rental from
£507) but compared with camping — well,
there’s no comparison. What’s not to like
about a heated camper with on-board
shower, toilet and cooking facilities? Not
to mention zero chance of being washed
or blown away in the dead of night. It’s
great for the kids, too. Our eight-year-old
son Luka had a blast hunting out nifty
design features such as the passenger and
driver’s seats that swivel 180 degrees to
face the dining table.
The official start, and end, is at
Inverness Castle. Travelling clockwise, as
we did, the route heads west to the coastal
village of Applecross and from there hugs
the coastline north via Ullapool (try the
Seafood Shack for superb, unfussy, food),
Durness and John O’Groats before
winding south to Wick and the Black Isle.
The Highlands are famed for their
natural beauty, but seeing is believing.
The landscape, most notably along
Scotland’s west coast, is awe-inspiring
and, at times, humbling. The 69-mile
stretch between Ullapool and Durness is
sheer delight; as the largely single-track
road winds its way around rugged
mountains, lochs and vast swathes of
heathland, it’s hard not to smile at the
unfolding natural beauty.
Venturing east beyond Tongue and the
imposing presence of Ben Loyal, the
change in landscape is striking: the
denuded, mountainous west coast
contrasts sharply with the flatter and
fertile plains of the east. The scenery is
arguably less dramatic but there are
plenty of opportunities to lap up the views
across the Pentland Firth as the NC500
heads toward Thurso and John O’Groats.
The NC500 is packed with so many
cultural, heritage and
tourist attractions that
you’ll need to be selective,
so plan ahead.
A trip into Smoo
Cave, at Durness, is
highly recommended.
It’s inexpensive
(£5 for adults, £2 for
children) and
entertaining. Our guide
was a local “Indiana
Jones” who by day
operates tours and
excavates the Neolithic
site, and at night can be
seen pulling pints in the nearby
The North Coast 500
is the Route 66 of
the Highlands, says
Mark Macaskill
COASTING ALONG
The Kylesku Bridge on the NC500 has
great views from a campervan, below
WHERETOSTAY
If you’re planning to travel the NC500,
you can’t beat the flexibility of a
campervan — but B&Bs and hotels are
bountiful and, if you can afford to step
up a gear, check-in to the five-star
Torridon Hotel in Wester Ross for a
luxurious stopover.
This 130-year-old, turreted former
hunting lodge is a real gem, nestled
against Loch Torridon and surrounded
by Munros. With the Highlands as its
playground, there’s no shortage of
activities at the Torridon, from guided
forest walks and archery to mountain
biking and kayaking. All equipment is
provided.
Fine dining can be had in the a la
carte restaurant but the Torridon Inn, a
stone’s throw from the hotel, offers
excellent “pub-style” food.
In the evening, relax in the lounge
and watch the sunset to the crackle of
a roaring fire, and
perhaps a wee dram
(or two) of the
Torridon’s
impressive
selection of 365
whiskies — one for every
day of the year. The
Torridon is simply
too good to pass
by. Rooms can be
bagged from £255
to £485 a night,
including breakfast.
thetorridon.com
The Sunday Times May 28, 2017 7
ADVERTISEMENTFEATURE
It might surprise you to learn that there are some
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Then again it may come as no surprise, given that in the
UK more than 35 million Brits spend £5.2billion a year on
spa services and treatments. So even though you might
be in a remote area, you can still enjoy a sybaritic break,
be that on Lewis or Arran.
Perhaps the most famous west coast island spa resort
is Auchrannie, Arran. Located just one mile from the
CalMac ferry terminal in Brodick, this large resort has
earned a great reputation for its quality accommodation,
restaurants and spa. It actually comprises two 4-star
hotels and thirty 5-star self-catering luxury lodges. There
are no less than three restaurants, a shop, two leisure
clubs with pools, the spa, and for the youngsters there’s
an outdoor adventure centre and play barn. Spa
products are from Espa and Ishga, both made using
organic or wild plants and known for their purity.
A day escape package is available from £90, which
includes two 25 minute treatments. Auchrannie offers
ferry-inclusive breaks so you can treat yourself to a short
stay at the resort and enjoy all that the Isle of Arran offers.
Over on Lewis is the luxurious 5-star, self-catering
establishment of Whitefalls. Its lodges offer the perfect
romantic break. With your very own private in-lodge spa,
this is a sybaritic break at any time of the year, complete
with an infrared sauna and a hot tub with chromatherapy
— a sequence of colours to both soothe and stimulate as
the mood takes you. Just above the village of Breasclete,
by the shores of Loch Roag, these two self-catering
lodges are an easy 25 minute drive from Stornoway.
Another spa destination is The Isle of Mull Hotel & Spa.
Situated close to the CalMac ferry terminal on the south
east of the island, the hotel lies on the crescent of
Craignure Bay. In addition to a 17-metre swimming pool,
there’s a children’s pool, an outdoor hot tub and sauna,
and a Rasul mud room.
On the mainland, Portavadie, overlooking Loch Fyne In
Argyll, is always a popular choice. Among the
accommodation are apartments with private saunas, and
traditional cottages. There’s also a lovely infinity pool
(heated, so go, even in the snow!) and hydro pools to
enjoy during your stay.
Lastly, Oban Bay Hotel & Spa, set on the edge of the
town’s Esplanade, is an ideal base from which to explore
Scotland’s west coast. Convenient for the train and ferry
terminals, it offers a panoramic view of the bay, the island
of Kerrera and the mountains of Mull. The hotel has a
steam room, sauna and outdoor hot tub — with views of
the bay — and spa treatments are available. While in
Oban, also known as the Gateway to the Isles, take a trip
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all reached by CalMac Ferries — where everyone gets
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