Holiday in Kirkcudbright, Scotland

Kirkcudbright is a picturesque coastal village in a quiet part of Scotland. Recently styled as 'the artists' town' , it was home of E A Hornel (a Glasgow Boy), Jessie King, Charles Oppenheimer and other well-known artists in the 1920s. S J Peploe (a Scottish Colourist) was a frequent visitor in the summer months. Dorothy L Sayers based her book 'Five Red Herrings' on Kirkcudbright. Today there are lots of artists and craftsmen working in the area. In 2005 Broughton House will reopen - this was the home of E A Hornel and is now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland who have been restoring it over the last two years. The Japanese-style garden is also fascinating and the fine 18th century house in the high street has many beautiful and interesting things to look at.

This peaceful Galloway town has a lovely working harbour and very pretty pastel-coloured houses - some of which are now available to rent as self-catering cottages - great if you want to be in the centre of Kirkcudbright. Kircudbright is a great town to base yourself in to explore the lovely Galloway coast and countryside. In the centre of the town is MacLellan's Castle, a great 16th century ruined fortified mansion. Along the coast are many holiday cottages by the sea - the estuary of the River Dee and the Galloway hills are beautiful to explore. If you are on holiday with children then it is worth a trip to the Kirkcudbright Wildlife Conservation Park - lots of animals to see, touch and feed. Gatehouse of Fleet is another picturesque town - a planned design and the Cally Garden Nursery has some unusual plants. Kirkcudbright has an 18 hole golf course with stunning views - there are several other good golf courses in the local area. Sailing is another popular activity and the Kircudbright Marina has the Blue Flag award.