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Dumfries and Galloway

From cliffs to beaches, via bluebells, red kites and squirrels...

Whether you're looking for quiet walks on the beach, a close encounter with a red squirrel, or a breathtaking clifftop experience, Dumfries and Galloway has it all.

This is Scotland's most southerly region, and you'll find wildlife here that you won't see anywhere else in the country. You can also enjoy spectacular experiences, like seeing immense flocks of starlings coming in to roost, or taking a walk in an ancient oak wood carpeted with bluebells.

We have five nature reserves that you might like to visit in Dumfries and Galloway. These range from the Mull of Galloway's packed seabird cliffs, to the spectacular views from our newest reserve at the Crook of Baldoon, right next to Scotland's National Book Town.

A visit to Mersehead in the winter can bring you excitingly close to thousands of yapping barnacle geese, while the graceful red kites to be found on the Galloway Kite Trail, one of our Date with Nature projects, can be enjoyed all year-round.

We run events all year, so click on the individual pages to find out more.

MapList

  • Crook of Baldoon

    A breathtaking panorama of saltmarsh, mudflats and hills

    Breeding-plumaged dunlin on estuary
  • Ken-Dee Marshes

    Wetland and woodland in the heart of Dumfries and Galloway

    Loch Ken, Ken-Dee Marshes, RSPB reserve
  • Mersehead

    Wander through rich wetlands to a wild and atmospheric shoreline

    View across marsh towards hills, RSPB Mersehead
  • Mull of Galloway

    High on the clifftop at Scotland's most southerly point; witness life on the edge!

    Sea cliffs at RSPB Mull of Galloway reserve
  • Wood of Cree

    Ancient oak woodland, tumbling burns and a carpet of bluebells

    Male wood warbler singing
  • Galloway Kite Trail

    Let us introduce you to red kites along the spectacular Galloway Kite Trail.

    Tagged red kite in flight