Many years ago, before we had our children, we visited Dumfries & Galloway with another couple and camped at Hoddom Castle near Ecclefechan. During that holiday we visited Threave Castle, but at the time we didn’t know about Threave Gardens.
We discovered it a few years back when looking for a holiday cottage near Castle Douglas and ended up staying at the Gate Lodge. That holiday eventually led to us getting the lodge at Barend!
Threave Garden & Estate is a great day out and one of the highlights for us was seeing red squirrels!
We’d never seen one in the wild before, but we saw them quite a few times when visiting. Since then we’ve also seen them in Cumbria, so hopefully their numbers are increasing!
There’s lots to see and do at Threave. The gardens, created over the years by students of the Trust’s School of Heritage Gardening, are pleasant to explore at any time of year. Thoughtfully designed, each ‘garden room’ showcases a different gardening style and planting scheme. Also, at the top of the gardens there are stunning views over the Galloway Hills and the Ken/Dee valley. There’s also Threave House, designed in the Scottish Baronial style in 1871. You can finish off your visit with delicious food and drink at the NTS cafe.
If you’d like a more strenuous walk, Threave Castle is part of the wider estate, and there’s a walk from the gardens to the castle. The flora, fauna and wildlife are diverse and, in addition to the red squirrels, there’s an osprey platform (although we didn’t see this while we were there), red kites, peregrine falcons and Scotland’s only Bat Reserve. Check for guided walks around the reserve where there are 8 species of bat. The wetlands nature reserve is a Special Protection Area for breeding waders and wintering wildfowl.
Contact, Links & Reviews
Tel: 01556 502575
Planning Your Visit
14 miles WNW ~27 min drive DG7 1RX
Threave Garden & Estate, Castle Douglas, DG7 1RX
Free for NTS or English National Trust members, otherwise entry charges apply.
Dogs are permitted in the garden but must be kept on a lead at all times. Dogs are not permitted in the Walled Garden, Kelton Hill Wood or the play area.
Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/htmmB8ZRydkVb7Ge7
