History The term
Dumfries and Galloway has been used since at least the 19th century – by 1911 the three counties had a united
sheriffdom under that name. Dumfries and Galloway covers the majority of the western area of the
Southern Uplands, it also hosts Scotland's most Southerly point, at the
Mull of Galloway in the west of the region.
Geography Regions The
Dumfries and Galloway Council region is composed of counties and their sub-areas. From east to west: •
Dumfriesshire County • the sub-area of Dumfriesshire –
Annandale • the sub-area of Dumfriesshire –
Eskdale • the sub-area of Dumfriesshire –
Nithsdale •
Kirkcudbrightshire County • the sub-area of Kirkcudbrightshire –
Stewartry (archaically,
Desnes) •
Wigtownshire County • the sub-area of Wigtownshire –
Machars (archaically,
Farines)--divided into census areas (civil parish areas) • the sub-area of Wigtownshire –
Rhins of Galloway divided into census areas (civil parish areas)
Water systems The region has a number of south running water systems which break through the Southern Uplands creating the main road, and rail, arteries north–south through the region and breaking the hills up into a number of ranges. •
River Cree valley carries the A714 north-westward from
Newton Stewart to
Girvan and Water of Minnoch valley which lies just west of the
Galloway Hills carries a minor road northward through Glentrool village into South
Ayrshire. This road leaves the A714 at
Bargrennan. •
Water of Ken and
River Dee form a corridor through the hills called the Glenkens which carries the A713 road from
Castle Douglas to
Ayr. The Galloway Hills lie to the west of this route through the hills and the
Carsphairn and Scaur Hills lie to the east. •
River Nith rises between
Dalmellington and
New Cumnock in Ayrshire and runs east then south down
Nithsdale to Dumfries. Nithsdale carries both the
A76 road and the rail line from Dumfries to
Kilmarnock. It separates the
Carsphairn and Scaur Hills from the
Lowther Hills which lie east of the Nith. •
River Annan combines with Evan Water and the
River Clyde to form one of the principal routes into central Scotland from England – through
Annandale and
Clydesdale – carrying the
M74 and the
west coast railway line. This gap through the hills separates the Lowthers from the
Moffat Hills. •
River Esk enters the
Solway Firth just south of
Gretna having travelled south from
Langholm and
Eskdalemuir. The
A7 travels up
Eskdale as far as Langholm and from Langholm carries on up the valley of Ewes Water to
Teviothead where it starts to follow the
River Teviot to
Hawick. Eskdale itself heads north west from Langholm through
Bentpath and Eskdalemuir to
Ettrick and
Selkirk.
Transportation The A701 branches off the M74 at
Beattock, goes through the town of
Moffat, climbs to Annanhead above the
Devil's Beef Tub (at the source of the River Annan) before passing the source of the River Tweed and carrying on to
Edinburgh. Until fairly recent times the ancient route to Edinburgh travelled right up Annandale to the Beef Tub before climbing steeply to Annanhead. The present road ascends northward on a ridge parallel to Annandale but to the west of it which makes for a much easier ascent. From Moffat the A708 heads north east along the valley of Moffat Water (Moffatdale) on its way to
Selkirk. Moffatdale separates the Moffat hills (to the north) from the Ettrick hills to the south.
National scenic areas There are three
National scenic areas within this region. •
Nith Estuary: this area follows the River Nith southward from just south of Dumfries into the Solway Firth. Dumfries itself has a rich history going back over 800 years as a Royal Burgh (1186). It is particularly remembered as the place where
Robert the Bruce murdered the
Red Comyn in 1306 before being crowned
King of Scotland – and where
Robert Burns spent his last years. His mausoleum is in St Michael's graveyard. Going down the east bank is the village of
Glencaple,
Caerlaverock Castle,
Caerlaverock Wild Fowl Trust, an ancient Roman fort on Ward Law Hill and nearby in
Ruthwell is the
Ruthwell Cross and the Brow Well where Robert Burns "took the waters" and bathed in the Solway just before his death. On the west bank, there are several walks and cycle routes in Mabie Forest, Kirkconnell Flow for the naturalist, the
National Museum of Costume just outside
New Abbey and
Sweetheart Abbey within the village.
Criffel (569 metres) offers the hill walker a reasonably modest walk with views across the Solway to the
Lake District. The house of
John Paul Jones founder of the
American Navy is also open to visitors near
Kirkbean. •
East Stewartry Coast: this takes in the coast line from Balcary Point eastward across Auchencairn Bay and the
Rough Firth past
Sandyhills to Mersehead. There are several coastal villages within this area –
Auchencairn,
Kippford, Colvend,
Rockcliffe, and Portling. There is also a round tower at
Orchardton and the islands of Hestan Isle and
Rough Island can be reached at low tide outside the breeding season for birds. Mersehead is a wildfowl reserve. The area has a number of coastal paths. •
Fleet Valley: this area takes in Fleet Bay with its holiday destinations of Auchenlarie, Mossyard Bay, Cardoness, Sandgreen and Carrick Shore. The area also includes the town of
Gatehouse of Fleet and the historic villages of Anworth and Girthon – there is a castle at
Cardoness in the care of
Historic Scotland. == Transport ==