Going to Galloway

Since I wrote about Galloway, the forest park and the stars, I've received plenty of great comments from you guys about my trip. Thank you all so much! Lots of you are also asking me about going to Galloway yourselves to see the area (which I do highly recommend because it is beautiful!), so I've written a guide about getting there, accommodation, and things to do.

If you haven't already, please also read my travel diaries:

Part 1: There's always silver lining
Part 2: Having a good time anyway
Part 3: Before they had cars
Part 4: I met the universe

Galloway is part of the larger area Dumfries and Galloway, located in South-West Scotland.



The greatest thing you have to bear in mind is that Galloway is not a shopping destination. You will be disappointed if you go expecting to shop in the day and stargaze at night!

The reason why the stars are so bright and clear from Galloway is because the area is very, very sparsely populated - the fewer the residents, the lower the light pollution, and consequently the better the night sky! It isn't until you've seen them in real life that you realise how fragile light is.

ACCOMMODATION

I stayed at the bunkhouse lodge at the Galloway Activity Centre for £16.50 per person per night, which is quite like a hostel. It is self-catering, and the nearest places to buy food are in New Galloway or Castle Douglas. Map here.

Galloway Activity Centre
Loch Ken, Parton, Castle Douglas
DG7 3NQ
Tel: 01644 420626

I would also suggest the Galloway Astronomy Centre - however, their prices are more substantial starting at £26 a night, however I think they are properly furnished unlike the more outdoorsy style of the Activities centre. Map here.

Galloway Astronomy Centre
Craiglemine Cottage
Glasserton
Nr Whithorn
Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
DG8 8NE

Bear in mind that neither of these places sit in proper towns - getting there is not the easiest! However, I really like that they're not so near proper towns, because it's extremely different from the usual hotel or B&B. It's a completely different experience that I think is worth the extra effort :)

HOW TO GET THERE

The nearest train station is in Dumfries.

I took a bus from Edinburgh to Dumfries, then Dumfries to Castle Douglas and Castle Douglas to the activity centre.

Edinburgh St James Bus Station-> Dumfries Whitesands (~2.5h) - MacEwan 100/101/102

Dumfries Whitesands -> Castle Douglas (~1h) - Stagecoach West Scotland 501

Castle Douglas -> Parton/Galloway Activity Centre (~15min) - ABC Travel 520

In remote areas, there aren't many bus stops - oftentimes, just standing by the side of the road when you know a bus is going your way and sticking your hand out means the bus driver will see you and stop for you. It's really cute, too :)

Timetabling is extremely important!!!! Traveline Scotland will give you exact details on how to get to your destination on the day you set out and from your location too, because timetables change depending on the day (Mon-Fri, weekends, school days, non-school days etc).

Also, buses run on extremely exact timing, so make sure you get your buses on time! Unlike Singapore where things run every 5 minutes, buses here depart by the hour or sometimes even less frequently - you really can't afford to miss your transport unless you want to take taxis.

I strongly recommend renting a car from Dumfries, which is the nearest big town. Getting around rural areas is much easier with a car. Trust me.

If all else fails, hitchhike your way around.

THINGS TO DO

Think rural activities - think wildlife, scenery, horse-riding. Don't go if you're expecting shopping malls - although the farms and some smaller local shops do sell some cute and quaint items. This is a place to get in touch with nature. The area is beautiful and there are lots of walks, especially inside the Galloway Forest Park. You can get walking trail maps from visitor centres in the forest park. Site here.

I recommend horse-riding at Barstobrick, mainly because they have the views to match. The other farms don't have the same wide rolling hills and massive area that Barstobrick has; horse-riding is fun in itself, but when you're on a horse in the hills, the feeling is exhilarating. Plus you can pretend you're some old medieval person and be cool. £25 for an hour hack.

Barstobrick
Castle Douglas
Dumfries and Galloway
DG7 2AT

Of course, the dark skies bring with them billions of stars. There is nothing like looking up into the infinite night sky and seeing the Milky Way above you. Definite must-do activity. Plus it's free.

WHAT TO BRING

Good outdoor camping-style clothes! You will be outdoors most of the time, and especially given the erratic Scottish weather, you will want to be prepared for sun, rain, wind, and all of that. Good sensible walking boots are a must - no Converses! Converses will get ruined from walking in wet puddles and mud. I wore nice waterproof leather boots with strong ankle support.

A waterproof jacket with a hood, waterproof pants, and waterproof shoes are a must. You don't want to be carrying around an umbrella with strong winds. You're going to look like this.



Just wear waterproof everything and you'll be fine.

Extra scarves and warm clothes for the cold nights are a very good idea, too.

Don't wear ankle socks when you're walking a lot - nice thick walking socks are the best. They keep your feet comfortable and your toes warm.

WHEN TO GO

The best time to see the stars is in winter, when the air is cold and crisp and the ground blanket with snow. It will be beautiful, but it will be freezing cold - I was told by a girl I met that temperatures can go to -10 degrees Celcius.

If you do decide to go in winter, please bring a portable fan heater. They will save your fingers and toes. Trust me.

I went in summer, but I also faced lots of cloud. Give and take, I suppose!

BE PREPARED

I've already repeated this a lot, but I have to emphasise - the area is remote, and transport will not be easy. You have been warned.

A map will not fail you. In the event that you become lost, being able to put your finger on a map to figure your way out is much better than not having anything to guide you with. Also, maps help you plan what you want to do much better.

Sleeping bags are a MUST! It gets very cold at night - and I mean, really really cold, so cold I couldn't feel my nose and my fingers hurt cold - so you want to keep as warm as you possibly can. Also, sleeping bags (especially for the Activities Centre, because they don't provide bedlinen) kind of make you feel snug and cozy anyway.

Check the weather forecast before you leave! If you're going to see the stars, it is essential that the skies must be clear at night. Preferably in the day too, because otherwise it's going to be miserable and gloomy and hard to do things you'd like to do around the area.

TIPS

If you're going to see the stars, of course you're going to want to bring home photos. Right? Right. Unfortunately, it isn't as easy as pointing your point-and-shoot up into the night sky, clicking once and seeing the image captured on your LCD screen.

Nightscape photography must be captured in long exposures in order to capture the faint light of the stars. All the photos which I took have a minimum exposure time of 30 seconds on focus to infinity, with ISO set at 1600. I use a Canon 550D with a Tamron 18-200mm lens, but any camera with the capacity for manual settings and a minimum shutter exposure time of 30 seconds will work. I tried 25 seconds and below, but nothing came out as well as 30.

When you're exposing your image for that long, using a tripod to minimise vibration is essential.

Be prepared for plenty of postprocessing on your photos.



I hope this was helpful and makes it easier for you to plan your trip to Galloway. If there are any questions just leave me a comment below and I promise I'll help to the best of my ability!

Love and starlight,
Cheryl Keit xx