January 2012

Portpatrick, Dumfries and Galloway – Audio Tours

Posted on January 27, 2012 at 5:29 pm in

In the Summer of 2011 the Portpatrick Community Council launched the audio tour of the village using “audiopass+” wands. Portpatrick in Dumfries and Galloway is the first place in the UK to use these wands.

The project was five years in the planning and , last year, funding from the North Rhins Windfarm benefit money and funding received from The Portpatrick (Shearings) Hotel brought the project to it’s launch.

The wands can be hired from Portpatrick Post office (just on the right as you go into the village) at a cost of £2 per wand (a £20 returnable deposit is also required). Once you have your wand and instructions in your hand away you go! Looking out for blue markers  and listening to the recording of the tour around the village as you go. 

You can start the tour anywhere you like and stop anywhere too or you can follow the suggested route – it’s up to you.

The route takes in the history of the harbour, the lifeboat shop, station and museum, McCooks Craig, The Princess Victoria Tragedy, war time in Portpatrick, the castle, Dashers den and the Lighthouse. There are add on’s too, which take in the Dunskey Portpatrick Golf course, plant and bird life and what to do in the village.

It provides a really good couple of hours of entertainment for young and old and most of the route is accessible to the disabled.

This is a great day out and  great chance to explore Portpatrick. The tours are available all year round so it is a “Must do” whilst staying at Kirklauchline cottage.  

We have all sorts of tourist information leaflets in a HUGE folder  in our holiday cottage and always e mail our guests before they arrive with any interesting events in Portpatrick or Dumfries and Galloway that will be taking place during their stay.

For a great “staycation” holiday in a beautiful part of the UK come along and explore the area around our cosy self catering holiday cottage -  Kirklauchline holiday cottage.

Oh and, by the way – Portpatrick took delivery of a shiny new RNLI Lifeboat last year too so you must come along and see that too! More about the Portpatrick Lifeboat in another blog!    

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Scotland Snowdrop Festival

Posted on January 26, 2012 at 11:44 am in

Now the festive period is over it’s time to get out and about in the fresh air and there’s no better place than Dumfries and Galloway. From the start of February until around the 18th March you can visit over 50 gardens around Scotland to see the snowdrop festival.

Snowdrops are very versatile little flowers and can grow almost anywhere and there are around 300 different varieties too!

In Dumfries and Galloway there are lots of gardens opening their doors from early February in celebration of the snowdrop. In the rhins, where Kirklauchline Cottage is, there  is Dunskey, Castle Kennedy and Logan Botanic Gardens to visit.

Dunskey Gardens, near Portpatrick – is only a short drive from the cottage. It has a lovely tea room with home made cakes, quiches and soup together with a little shop selling plants (including different species of snowdrop), cards, books and local jams and pickles. There is the Dunskey maze for the younger ones, which my young neice really enjoyed when she came to stay. The snowdrop festival is open at Dunskey gardens two weekends during February – 18th & 19th, 25th & 26th. It costs £3.60 for adults and 50p for under 14′s and is open from 10am until 4pm.

Castle Kennedy Gardens, near Stranraer (you pass it on the A75 on the outskirts of Starnraer when travelling to the Rhins)  is open every Sunday from 1st February until 18th March, 10am – 5pm and admission is £5 per adult. These are beautiful gardens with 2 natural lochs, a castle and 75 acres of gardens to explore. Once you have explored and you are ready for refreshment there’s a lovely tea room selling hot and cold drinks and snacks. Dogs are allowed in these gardens but on a lead.

Logan Botanic Garden, Port Logan, is Scotlands most exotic Garden – I have to agree it is breath taking! I went for the first time last summer with my friend and it is stunning. Palm Trees galore, rhododendrons and lots more – I can highly recommend a visit. They open for the snowdrop festival Sundays 10am – 4pm, admission is £5.50 for adults, £5 concession and £1 for children. Dogs are not admitted at these gardens. The Potting Shed Bistro has lovely soup, sandwiches, cakes and hot and cold drinks. There are visitors toilets and baby changing facilities too.

Further afield, but within very easy reach is the Galloway Forest – here you can visit any day from sunrise to sunset and see the snowdrops in the woods. Whilst you are there The Otter pool, wild goat park and the red Deer range is a must. A real good day out for all. We take a picnic with us and sit near the otter pool to see if we can spot any – no luck so far!

I hope you enjoyed this blog about the snowdrops, the gardens are a great passion of mine and I love to visit them when I can.

At Kirklauchline cottage we  have availability for 7 nights or short breaks (minimum 3 nights) during February and March for any one who wants to catch the snowdrop festival.

Many thanks for reading my blog, Alison x

 

 

Rabbie Burns 25th January 2012

Posted on January 25, 2012 at 1:49 pm in

As today is the birthday of Robert Burns (Rabbie Burns) I thought I would write my first Blog about the man himself and the celebration. I have been doing quite a lot of research and here’s what I have come up with so far!

Robert Burns was born in Alloway, Ayrshire on 25th January 1759. When you stay at Kirklauchline Cottage on your holiday Alloway is not too far away (about an hour or so) – it’s worth a trip as the coastline and views on the way are fantastic and you pass the wonderful Ailsa Craig (more about that later!). Anyway I will get back to the point, he was the eldest son of seven born to a poor tenant farmer. Even though they were very poor, and he spent his youth working on his fathers farm, he was very well read. It was whilst he was principle worker on the farm that he was inspired to write his first verse “My Handsome Nell” – an ode to scotch and women (of which he enjoyed both).
His father died in 1784 and Robert and his brother became partners in the farm. Robert was far more interested in poetry than farming and had several misadventures with the ladies resulting in several illegitimate children. He was at the point of escaping to the West Indies when his first work “poems chiefly in the Scottish Dialect – Kilmarnock edition” were published. This and the fact he had become a father made him stay in Scotland. He moved around Scotland eventually arriving in Edinburgh and in a matter of weeks became a local celebrity. He married Jean Armour, continued writing and took up a job as an excise man to supplement his income.
Rabbie Burns died at the age of 37, dying the same day as his wife gave birth to their last son Maxwell. 10,000 people paid their respects to him on the day of his burial.
On the anniversary of his birth Scots people celebrate with a supper where they address the haggis,the ladies and the whisky. (think we might head out to a burns night tonight!)

Another great place to visit, relating to Rabbie Burns, whilst staying at our holiday cottage is “The House of Burns” in Kirkoswold, South Ayrshire – Souter Johnnies Inn, the old schoolhouse that Rabbie Burns attended, now a fine inn and restaurant, gift shop and tea room with great reviews.

o, my luve is like a red red rose that’s newly sprung in june………………..

2012 Olympics come to Dumfries and Galloway

Posted on January 19, 2012 at 4:26 pm in

The olympic torch is now underway and reaches Dumfries and Galloway on 8th June 2012, which is day 21. Arriving from Ireland into Cairnrayan, the Uk’s gateway from Ireland.

Visiting Stranraer on it’s way to Glasgow and the Stranraer torch bearers have now been named – their moment to shine.

So set your alarm clocks as the torch will be starting it’s journey through Stranraer at 5 past 6 in the morning! I will be there with my trusty camera!

Early birds will be able to watch this fantastic event  in Castle Square, George Street, Charlotte Street, Port Rodie and Cairnryan Road. The torch will only be in Stranraer for approximately 15 minutes before leaving for Cairnryan – so try not to miss it!

It will arrive in Cairnryan at 6.25am in the village’s Claddyburn Terrace, travelling along the A77 to the Loch Ryan Port entrance and onto the lighthouse at around 6.35am.

The flame will then be transported to Ballantrae, South Ayrshire, where it will make its next public appearance.

Dumfries and Galloway are the first and last Scottish stops for the Olympic torch and its a great opportunity to showcase this beautiful corner of the UK.

Portpatrick Audio Tours

Posted on January 18, 2012 at 4:30 pm in

Poertpatrick is the first place in the Uk to use these Audiopass+wands.

The wands can be hired from Portpatrick Post Office for £2 with a further refundable £20 deposit per wand.

The tour can be stopped and started from any point and there is a suggested route to take. The route takes in the history of The harbour, The lifeboat shop and museum, McCooks Craig, The Princess Victoria tragedy, war time in the village, the castle, dashers den and the lighthouse. There are add ons which include the golf course, plant and bird life and what to do in the area. Provides a good couple of hours entertainment.

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