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Subject Topic: South West Scotland Post Reply Post New Topic
22/12/2012 at 10:33pm
 Location: Nottingham
 Outfit: Discovery 4 + Elddis Crusader Tempest
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Hi folks,
We travelled to Fort William last Mar/Apr and having done a little bit of research I fancy Dumfries & Galloway, Ayrshire and maybe the Argyll & Butte Region. We will be travelling for 2 weeks and I've read a few past threads about sites around Rockcliffe and the towns along that south coast I just wondered if anyone has any suggestions. We will be travelling from Nottingham with 7 and 4 year old happy to move around a bit and I'm trying to figure out a nice little circle tour of some sort. Appreciate weather might not always play ball but we are happy to wrap up and get out for a walk.

Anyone any thoughts, must go to places ?

-------------
Carpe diem...


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23/12/2012 at 8:07am
 Location: Scotland
 Outfit: Coachman Highlander (Amara)
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Hi, D&G is a lovely area. I love it and go often. Castle Point in Rockcliffe is lovely, Kippford campsite is smashing (hasnt got the views that Castle Point has but within a short walk to the lovely village (with pubs) of Kippford and a smashing walk along to Rockcliffe), Solway View in Borgue also fab. Garlieston - (I prefer the C&CC site) also nice. At the other side of D&G is the lovely village of Portpatrick - Castle Bay would be my site of choice, but in the same peninsula there are several smashing sites.

There is another similar thread runnung here.

All of the sites above are in my blog with pics -link on my home page above (the camping at home section).

Ps, there are a couple of nice sites in Ayrshire - Thommason Farm at Culzean is one - but speaking as a native of Ayrshire I prefer D&G!


23/12/2012 at 10:17am
 Location: Nottingham
 Outfit: Discovery 4 + Elddis Crusader Tempest
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Hi Tina
Many thanks for this, really enjoyed reading your blog, you've done a smashing job there.

I couldn't find the pictures of D&G but I have been browsing on my iphone so perhaps I need to have a better look on my laptop when I get home.

Have you done any of the Argyll & Butte area? I was wondering if we should head up that way, I was looking at the Carradale campsite.

Overall the question is for me is this still a good region to visit in March/April? We visited the whole area around Bunree at the same time last year but the snow fall just added to the beauty and we still managed to get out and enjoy everywhere.



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Carpe diem...


23/12/2012 at 12:49pm
 Location: Scotland
 Outfit: Coachman Highlander (Amara)
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Hi, we've not done much of Argyle and Bute I must confess. Have been all up the west coast from a bit further up though right to the top and round - a great area and well worth the drive. In April/March the climate is usually more favourable in D&G (I mean milder) but then a couple of years ago it was in the 80's when we were in the Trossachs- no guarantees either way. I would say if you've done a bit of the North try the South of Scotland, beautiful in a less dramatic way.


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23/12/2012 at 3:47pm
 Location: DURHAM
 Outfit: Mondeo TItanium 140 Avondale Mayfly 25
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Feeble at is the site at Garlieston a C&CC or a CC site


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23/12/2012 at 4:09pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Wellhouse Atrai Dandy Dart Quechua B
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Galloway Forest Park is definitely worth a few days - as attractive as the Highlands and not very busy - a couple of good forest drives and plenty of walks and if you're into mountain biking plenty of cycle trails.
You could easily spend a fortnight in D&G but if you're determined to go on to Argyll and Bute and are happy to use the ferry, going via Arran from Ardrossan to Broderick and then from Lochranza on Arran to Claonaig will bring you right into the heart of Argyll (though pretty restricted winter timetable on the Lochranza route till the end of March) though if you did do that you might find you wanted to stay on Arran for quite a while. If you didn't want to go via Arran rather than head for Glasgow direct from D&G it's worth taking the coast road A78 - once you're past the Ardrossan area the views out to sea are great and it eventually brings you round to the Erskine Bridge then up by Loch Lommond and across by Rest and Be Thankful - but it's further than you think! Or of course you could take either of the CalMac or Western Ferries ferries from Gourock. I wouldn't underestimate the length of journeys round Argyll because of all the sea lochs. I've never made it to the Cowal but I understand the area is quite nice. I'm not sure I would bother to go all the way down Kintyre - from what little I remember of it it's a bit bleak and featureless.


23/12/2012 at 4:26pm
 Location: Scotland
 Outfit: Coachman Highlander (Amara)
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Quote: Originally posted by Vectratot on 23/12/2012
Feeble at is the site at Garlieston a C&CC or a CC site



There are both. The CC site looks out to the water but is a flat square area with (in my opinion) little character. The C&C site site behind it, doesnt have the sea views but more greenery and a lovely pond, much nicer and the one I prefer.


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23/12/2012 at 5:33pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Wellhouse Atrai Dandy Dart Quechua B
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Quote: Originally posted by feeblecat on 23/12/2012
Quote: Originally posted by Vectratot on 23/12/2012Feeble at is the site at Garlieston a C&CC or a CC site



There are both. The CC site looks out to the water but is a flat square area with (in my opinion) little character. The C&C site site behind it, doesnt have the sea views but more greenery and a lovely pond, much nicer and the one I prefer.



Just to clarify further, if you do a search for these sites - the CC site is a Club site (and Members only) and the C&CC site is a Certificated Site (called Garlieston Lodge).
Have only stayed on the CC site so far but I would tend to agree with the comment about that site - it's OK but nothing special, plus if you definitely want a sea view there's plenty of pitches on the CC site that don't even have that - the site's in two halves and only one half has a sea view and even then some of the pitches' views are blocked by ones nearer the front. To my mind they were quite tightly packed as well in places. Nice walk through the grounds of Garlieston House and along the coast from either site.


23/12/2012 at 10:43pm
 Location: Nottingham
 Outfit: Discovery 4 + Elddis Crusader Tempest
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Quote: Originally posted by evenstephen on 23/12/2012
Galloway Forest Park is definitely worth a few days - as attractive as the Highlands and not very busy - a couple of good forest drives and plenty of walks and if you're into mountain biking plenty of cycle trails.
You could easily spend a fortnight in D&G but if you're determined to go on to Argyll and Bute and are happy to use the ferry, going via Arran from Ardrossan to Broderick and then from Lochranza on Arran to Claonaig will bring you right into the heart of Argyll (though pretty restricted winter timetable on the Lochranza route till the end of March) though if you did do that you might find you wanted to stay on Arran for quite a while. If you didn't want to go via Arran rather than head for Glasgow direct from D&G it's worth taking the coast road A78 - once you're past the Ardrossan area the views out to sea are great and it eventually brings you round to the Erskine Bridge then up by Loch Lommond and across by Rest and Be Thankful - but it's further than you think! Or of course you could take either of the CalMac or Western Ferries ferries from Gourock. I wouldn't underestimate the length of journeys round Argyll because of all the sea lochs. I've never made it to the Cowal but I understand the area is quite nice. I'm not sure I would bother to go all the way down Kintyre - from what little I remember of it it's a bit bleak and featureless.



Thanks for this, what site would you use for Galloway forest park?



-------------
Carpe diem...


23/12/2012 at 10:43pm
 Location: DURHAM
 Outfit: Mondeo TItanium 140 Avondale Mayfly 25
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Cheers to all for the info looks like we will be booking for week at Garlieston Lodge for April/May 2013, as we wish to visit friend at Isle of Whithorn.Just what we have been looking for thans.


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24/12/2012 at 3:57pm
 Location: None Entered
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Quote: Originally posted by Just do it on 23/12/2012


Thanks for this, what site would you use for Galloway forest park?





We tend to stick to Club sites so have done the southern half of the Forest Park from CC Garlieston and the northern part from C&CC Culzean, but there are campsites closer and more convenient. The Glentrool Holiday Park is in a good spot and looked OK as we passed but not having stayed there I've no idea what it's like. If that's no good Newton Stewart is a good place to start looking.


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25/12/2012 at 1:47pm
 Location: Isle of Mull
 Outfit: 2 x Outwells Kairos 400 Caranex
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Just an update with regard to evenstephen's post:

Calmac have their summer timetables on their website - summer sailings start 29th March.

Western Ferries operate the only car ferry to Dunoon; Argyll Ferries (the former Calmac route) is passenger only.

Pay heed to his comment about distances in Argyll.  They take a lot of people by surprise.

If you're thinking Arran across check out the Hopscotch tickets - can be a lot cheaper.

In Galloway we stay regularly at the site at Kirkenner - great pub for takeaways just up the road - the Bladnoch - and 20 minutes south of Newton Stewart. Also handy for getting down to Whithorn.  Very friendly site with good clean facilities.



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" When I die I don`t want my life to flash before me in an instant, I want it to be a 3 hour epic !"


30/12/2012 at 10:42pm
 Location: Glasgow
 Outfit: Royal Barcelona 6
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I travel to Campbeltown quite regularly from Glasgow, it's about 3 1/2 hrs, however I'm not pulling so I'd expect it to take a good bit longer. There's a new ferry via Arran to Campbeltown starting in the summer however going to Arran is holiday in itself!


05/1/2013 at 11:08pm
 Location: Cumbernauld
 Outfit: Eldiss Avante 534
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Hi Carpe,

With two youngsters I'd recommend Brighouse Bay - lovely site, well spaced out and absolutely spotless .  Great play area for kids and loads of local wildlife.

Been twice and can't wait to go again.

Charlie 



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Charlie


06/1/2013 at 9:10pm
 Location: Livingston Scotland
 Outfit: Outwell Whitecove 6
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Hi there

Love the west coast of Scotland, the scenery is amazing. Point sands holiday park near Campbelltown is fantastic and right on the beach. Also love Luss right on the shore of Loch Lomond. If you fancy going further north Arisaig is gorgeous too.

D&G also a lovely area, Solway View as mentioned above is a great sight, and we also like Loch Ken campsite, which again is right on the Loch.

We have 2 children, now 10 and 7 but have been visiting all these sights since the youngest was 3.

Enjoy whatever you decide to do.

Tracey

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Tracey & Steven



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