Entertainment and Visitor Attractions in the Newton Stewart area
Newton Stewart Cinema
www.nscinema.co.uk
The Cinema, with its classic art-deco frontage, is a prominent feature of Victoria Street. This is a community-owned facility showing recently-released films, which also provides a venue for "live" theatre, concerts and shows at intervals throughout the year. Superb facility accommodating 240. May be booked for private functions and screenings.
Newton Stewart Museum
Housed in the former St John's Church, the Museum contains a wealth of historical treasures, some pre-Victorian, with exciting and interesting displays of the natural and social history of Galloway.
Open 2pm - 5pm, Mon - Sat from Easter to September.
Sunday in July, August and September.
Also 10am - 12.30pm Mon - Fri in July and August (Last admissions at 12 noon and 4.30 pm.)
At other times, access can be arranged by telephoning Mr McLay on 01671 402472 or Mrs Ferries on 01671 402309.
Visitor Centres in Galloway Forest Park
This great forest covers an area of 293 square miles (759 sq. km) and was designated a Forest Park in 1947. It is being developed for community use as an activity area with marked trails, walks, cycle trails, timber sculptures and picnic areas. There are Visitor Centres at Glentrool, Clatteringshaws and Kirroughtree(pictured), where events are organised throughout the year and tearooms are open from March till the end of October.
The Taylor Collection at Barraer
This charts the advancement of agricultural production, with a local twist, from subsistence farming to post-war mechanisation. A unique compilation of agricultural implements from scythes and ploughs to tractors and hay balers, many with intriguing stories attached. Come and hear the story straight from the the Farmer's mouth! Enjoy the wonderful views to the Galloway Hills.
As this attraction is in the early stages of development, please phone to arrange a visit: 01671 402184
Wigtown Book Town
www.wigtown-booktown.co.uk
Scotland's National Book Town is only 7 miles from Newton Stewart, with 25 book related businesses, including 18 book shops. The Scottish Book Town Festival takes place at the end of September, with various other events throughout the year including the Spirit of Bladnoch & Book Town Weekend. Street markets are held on Saturdays from spring till autumn.
Bladnoch Distillery
www.bladnoch.co.uk
8 miles from Newton Stewart is Scotland's most southerly whisky distillery, in the small village of Bladnoch. Now distilling again and offering guided tours, Visitor Centre and Gift Shop, and occasional whisky making courses.
Creetown Gem Rock Museum
www.gemrock.net
Experience this world class collection of gemstones, crystals, fossils, rocks and minerals. A fully interactive museum in Creetown, 6 miles from Newton Stewart, with lots to see and do for all the family. As well as the fascinating collection, there is a gift shop, study facilities and a cafe serving delicious lunches and refreshments.
Cream o Galloway
www.creamogalloway.co.uk
More than just ice cream! A great day out for all the family. Organic farm producing delicious ice cream, but also providing nature trails, farm tours, adventure playground, 3D maze, tearoom, cycle hire, activities, etc .
Open 21st March to 1st November in 2009.
See the website for full details.
Kirkdale Water-driven Sawmill and Nature Trail
www.kirkdale-sawmill.org.uk
Restored estate sawmill, dating from the 1800s, driven by an over-shot water wheel. Visitors can enjoy a walk up the wooded glen alongside the mill lade to the mill pond.
Open April - September, Monday, Wednesday & Friday, from 10am till 4pm.
History and Archaeology
The long history of human inhabitation of this part of the country and the fact that so little of it has been built over, means that Galloway has a wealth of historical and archaeological sites, ranging from prehistoric cairns and stone circles to old castles, abbeys, churches and ancient gravestones. Ordnance Survey maps identify the major sites and many of them are open to the public, with descriptive leaflets or display information boards.
Cairnholy (pictured left) and Torhouse Stone Circle are two notable examples.
Within a thirty-mile radius of Newton Stewart there are many castles, fortified buildings, brochs and tower houses. Good examples lie on the main A75 road and can be found at Carsluith, Cardoness, Threave (pictured right), Glenluce and Stranraer.
Newton Stewart is an ideal base for exploring the region's history and family ancestry.
Bruce's Stone at Glentrool
King Robert Bruce, known to posterity as "Robert the Bruce", vanquished the English forces at Bannockburn in 1314 and restored independence to Scotland. During Robert's long campaign there were several battles in the vicinity of Newton Stewart, including one at Glen Trool (10 miles from the town) commemorated on the memorial shown on the left. Apart from its historical interest, this memorial sits in a spectacular location overlooking the loch, woodlands and surrounding hills.
Whithorn Trust Visitor Centre
www.whithorn.com
One of Galloway's major archaeological exhibits is the Whithorn excavation of the site of St. Ninians church established in the 4th Century. The Whithorn Trust was set up in 1986 to explore the archaeology and history of Whithorn, and it's role in the evolution of Christianity in Scotland. Covering a series of religious buildings of varying antiquity; also burial grounds and relics of Norse habitation, the project has established a souvenir shop and visual interpretation presentation that explains the background and progress made in the project.
There is also an interesting museum next door with some of the early Christian crosses found nearby.
Gardens
There are many gardens open to the public in due season. Our mild climate favours tender species of plants. To describe the environment as semi-tropical is an exaggeration, but sites such as Logan Gardens on the Mull of Galloway, a dependency of the Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh, do exhibit exotic plants and trees from warm climates such as South Africa and South America.
Castle Kennedy (pictured) on the A75 towards Stranraer, is worth a visit, not so much for the romantic, ivy clad ruins of the 1607 castle, destroyed by fire in 1716, but for the gardens. These gardens are renowned for their display of rhododendrons and azaleas and for the monkey puzzle avenue. Many gardens on the acid soils of this area are particularly noted for azaleas and rhododendrons in early summer. Glenwhan Garden, nearby in Dunragit, is also worth a visit. Many of the gardens offer refreshments and also plants for sale.
Useful Links
Gardens and Nurseries in South West Scotland
Scotland's Gardens Scheme - gardens open to the public
Film Trails in Dumfries & Galloway
The region of Dumfries and Galloway has the reputation of being one of the ‘film-friendliest’ in Scotland. The South West Scotland Screen Commission, part of Dumfries and Galloway Council, has a web site listing films that have been shot in the area and a Wicker Man trail section.