THINGS TO DO

THINGS TO DO

A wilderness paradise to enjoy and explore

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Situated in The Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park

Located within the Galloway Forest Park and Dark Sky Park, this is the perfect base for those who want to experience the best of South West Scotland's stunning scenery and wildlife as well as some of the best stargazing opportunities anywhere on the planet. If you're looking to get away from it all or simply to enjoy nature at its best, then this is where you want to be, with three hundred square miles of Galloway Forest Park just waiting to be explored.


For those of you who enjoy just getting out there, you'll find a whole host of forest walks and trails - Read more. Glentrool is also one of the centres for the world renowned 7Stanes mountain bike trails and has a huge amount of trails for all ages and abilities - read more. For those who don't have bikes, or it's too much hassle to bring your own, why not hire one? Contact Kirkcowan Cycles on 01671 401529 for further details.


Those with plenty of stamina to spare could have a go at walking the Southern Upland Way. Glentrool Camping and Caravan Site is also situated within half a mile of the route, so makes the ideal stopping-off point.

Other places to see and visit during your stay in Galloway

Forest Walks and Trails

There are three hundred square miles of stunning natural wilderness just waiting to be explored. Glentrool Camping and Caravan Site is within the Galloway Forest so is the perfect base from which to explore all the forest walks and trails available. No visit to this area would be complete without visiting Loch Trool (pictured below) and the breathtaking views from Bruce's Stone which commemorates Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland, and the Battle of Trool in 1307. Download the Galloway Forest Park Map and Trail Guide below. The Southern Way runs along the south shore of Loch Trool and is Britain's first official coast-to-coast long distance footpath, running 212 miles from Portpatrick on the west coast to Cockburnspath on the east coast. It’s a dramatic and challenging route through the rolling hills of the Southern Uplands. Sample the scenic stretch from Glentrool to Loch Trool and see if you’re inspired to walk the rest!

DOWNLOAD TRAIL GUIDE

Mountain Biking

Two of the world-renowned 7Stanes mountain biking trails are in the Galloway Forest, one of them at Glentrool, so if you are into mountain biking, you're sure to be challenged on these world-class trails! These award-winning trails offer some of the best mountain biking opportunities in the UK and attract riders from around the world. You don’t have to be an experienced mountain biker to enjoy the 7Stanes: there are a wide range of routes to suit beginners, families and experts. The word Stanes is Scots for stones and at each of the locations, you will find a stone sculpture reflecting a local myth or legend.

Stargazing

Glentrool is one of the best places on the planet for stargazing and located as it is in the Galloway Forest Park, it is also in the UK's first Dark Sky Park with thousands more stars visible compared to a typical town or city. One of only four original Dark Sky Parks anywhere in the world and designated as such by the International Dark Sky Association, you can enjoy incredible views of the stars with a new show every night, because as we travel round the sun, we’re getting a constantly changing view of the stars. The entire 300 square miles of the park have been protected from light pollution so, on a moonless night, the Milky Way can be seen stretching from one horizon to the other.

Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park South West Scotland IDA Dark Sky Approved

Wildlife

The Galloway Forest Park offers a tremendous opportunity to see and photograph all types of wildlife inlcuding Red, Roe and Fallow deer, red squirrels, otters, badgers, adders, several types of butterfly, black grouse, capercaillies and an assortment of birds of prey, most typically hawks, ospreys and red kite. However, if you are really fortunate, you may also spot Golden and White Tailed eagles. And, to be absolutely certain of seeing Britain's largest land mammal, the Red Deer, the Galloway Forest Park has a Red Deer range located on the road between Newton Stewart and Clatteringshaws Loch.

Hill Walking

There are some tremendous hill walking opportunities in the Galloway Hills, not least the Merrick, the highest summit in the range at 2,766 feet. For those ready for the challenge, the reward (on a clear day) is uninterrupted views across south west Scotland and beyond. The Merrick enjoys the longest line of sight in the British Isles - all the way to Snowdon in north Wales, 144 miles away. The shortest route of ascent is from the car park close to Bruce's Stone at Loch Trool. The Merrick is a relatively straightforward and easy hike from there, althugh do be aware that if you are descending in poor visibility, you should not walk down the west ridge into remote terrain, a fairly common mistake. The total round-trip distance from Glen Trool to the summit and back is around 9 miles.

Places to visit

The spectacular scenery of the Galloway Forest and the many activities to be enjoyed there are more than enough to keep most adventurers occupied during their stay at Glentrool Camping and Caravan Site. But there are plenty more attractions within a short drive that you may also wish to see. If you are a book lover, Scotland's National Book Town in Wigtown is a 20-minute drive away. Here you'll find a number of great bookshops including Scotland's largest, as well as places to eat during your visit to one of Britain's smallest towns - population 987. A feature of Wigtown is its magnificent County Buildings. This imposing French Gothic-style building built in 1863 was once the adminstrative centre for Wigtownshire, then a county in its own right. Visitors to the County Buildings can enjoy a viewing area across Wigtown Bay.


The Mull of Galloway (Scotland's Land's End) is a 50-minute drive away, but well worth doing while you are here. Scotland's most southerly point, the spectacular peninsula features high cliffs at the end of which is the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse (pictured below) with its foghorn and visitor centre, the glass-encased Gallie Craig Coffee House named after the ragged rock of the same name which protrudes from the sea just south of the Mull of Galloway and an RSPB Reserve and visitor centre.  From here, visitors can see Ireland, The Isle of Man, England and Wales on a clear day.


Logan Botanic Gardens, a 40-minute drive away, feature plants rarely seen in Britain due to the almost sub-tropical climate here. Warmed by the Gulf Stream which enables plants from Australia, New Zealand, South and Central America and Southern Africa to thrive, Logan features Palm Trees and Tree Ferns, creating an antipodean forest as well as Eucalyptus and Giant Gunnera, whilst the elegant Victorian-style Logan Conservatory houses a range of particularly tender exotic plants from South Africa.


Portpatrick near Stranraer is a quaint harbour village. A 40-minute drive from the camp site, this attractive village has some excellent restaurants and inns as well as spectacular sea views across to Ireland. The Southern Upland Way starts here and passes close to Glentrool Camping and Caravan site.

Our Location Glentrool Camping and Caravan Site, Bargrennan, Newton Stewart, Dumfries and Galooway, Scotland
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