Wigtownshire Attractions and Heritage Sites (Places to Visit)
We have compiled a list of Attractions in Wigtownshire to visit during your stay. We hope the information about the attractions in Wigtownshire helps you with your holiday planning.
1. Agnew Park - Stranraer, Wigtownshire, DG9 7JZ - Tel No: 01776 703535
Agnew Park is on the waterfront in Stranraer in Wigtownshire. For many people this fun-filled park is the first or last thing they see of Scotland. It sits in the Firth of Clyde near where the ferries dock going to and from Ireland.The park offers a wide range of activities for the entire family that include a lake and boat rental. There is a crazy golf course for the children and an 18-hole putting green. A miniature railway is a great way to tour the park and a sand-filled play park will keep the children busy for hours.
In Scotland's southwestern tip in the Mull of Galloway is the Logan Botanic Garden, considered to be Scotland's most exotic garden. The mild climate of the coast is the perfect atmosphere for a collection of some of the more unusual and beautiful plant life, including many whose natural habitat is the Southern hemisphere.There are a variety of different garden areas such as the Walled Garden that contains large ferns and palms and the Woodland Garden with its unusual shrubs and trees as well as the Gunnera bog.
3. The Mull of Galloway - Stoneykirk, Stranraer, Wigtownshire, DG9 9DH - Tel No: 01776 830682
One of the best known areas of Scotland is the Mull of Galloway, the southern-most point in the country. The area offers beautiful views, mild climate, and idyllic countryside. Some of the things to enjoy here include: · The Mull of Galloway Lighthouse and its exhibits · The Logan Botanic Garden · The Logan House Gardens where visitors can take long walks along the lawns and through the woodlands. · The beaches · Several area golf courses
4. Monreith Animal World - Low Knock Farm, Monreith, Wigtownshire, DG8 8NQ - Tel No: 01988 700217
This 12-acre animal park 6 miles west of Whithorn is a perfect place for the children to see a variety of animals in their roomy and natural enclosures. The animals' enclosures are located in a circular route around the park and along a picturesque pond.The animals at Monreith Animal World include otters, owls, Shetland ponies and miniature donkeys, reptiles, and waterfowl. The park also includes the Gavin Maxwell museum and a gift shop.
5. The Castle of St. John - Charlotte Street, Stranraer, Wigtownshire, DG9 7EJ - Tel No: 01776 705544
In the centre of the town of Stranraer in southwest Scotland is the Castle of St. John, a medieval tower that was built in approximately 1500 by one of Wigtownshire's most powerful families, the Adairs. Over time, the castle had many uses from family home to military garrison to prison. Today, the castle is a museum that also includes an activity room for small children.
6. Glenluce Abbey - Glenluce, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire, DG8 0AE - Tel No: 01581 300541
These ruins of a Cistercian abbey built in 1192 are located in Glenluce in a scenic peaceful valley. The ruins of the abbey include the chapter house that was added in the 16th century. There is also an exhibit of artifacts that have been discovered at the site. One of the unique features of the chapter house at Glenluce Abbey is the wonderful acoustics provided by the high, vaulted ceiling. The abbey itself is also different from most abbeys of its time because of the network of pipes beneath the buildings that were added to carry water from the well on which it was built.
7. Whithorn Priory and Museum - Whithorn, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire, DG8 8PY - Tel No: 01988 500508
The Whithorn Priory is one of Scotland's earliest Christian sites. It is considered the "cradle of Christianity" in Scotland. The abbey was founded by St. Ninian in the 5th or 6th century. In the 12th century, a priory for Premonstratensians, a Catholic religious order, was built on the site. Not much remains of the original Priory, but some ruins remain and many visitors take the same pilgrimage route to St. Ninian's shrine. The museum contains a number of ancient sculpted stones including grave markers of early Christians.
8. Glenluce Motor Museum - Glenluce, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire, DG8 0NY - Tel No: 01581 300534
Just one-quarter mile from Glenluce is the Glenluce Motor Museum that houses an assortment of classic and vintage cars, as well as motorcycles and automobile-related memorabilia. There are 40 vintage vehicles housed in an old-fashioned garage. The museum also has a shop and tearoom.
9. Silver Flowe National Nature Reserve - Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire, DG8 6BF - Tel No: 01671 401075
There are several National Nature Reserves (NNRs) where you can observe the wonders of the natural world found in Scotland. These reserves are set up to preserve the landscape and wildlife of each area. The Silver Flowe, 12 miles north of Newton Stewart, is made up of seven different peat bogs all in one glen. While standing on any of the nearby hills you can see the mossy domes of the bogs and even get a glimpse of the silvery pools from which the reserve gets its name.The best time to visit the reserve is in the summer for optimal viewing of birds, plants, and butterflies.
10. St. Ninian's Chapel - Whithorn, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire, Grid reference - NX 479 362 - Tel No: 01316 688600
The ruins of Ninian's Chapel are located on the edge of the Isle of Whithorn 3 miles from the village of Whithorn and the Whithorn Priory. The chapel was built in the 14th century when it was used by pilgrims who came to the area to pay homage to St. Ninian. The ancient chapel underwent major repairs in the late 19th century and is one of the few medieval churches to have benches or pews set into the walls for the worshippers.
