Castle Douglas is found in the Scottish district of Dumfries and Galloway. In the 18th century the town of Castle Douglas benefited something similar to a redesign by William Douglas, a local boy, who planned to make his town into an industrial and commercial center of note. Unfortunately the scheme failed, however Castle Douglas benefited a small amount with a few pretty buildings constructed from a mixture of gray granite and red sandstone and a straight high street named King Street. As Castle Douglas is roughly about eighteen miles from Dumfries it benefits from many tourist attractions and places well worth visiting and we give information on three; Threave Gardens, Castle Douglas Art Gallery and Threave Castle:
Threave Castle
located on an island in the centre of the River Dee, is the stunning Threave Castle. The journey to the castle itself is really exciting. First one has a ten minute stroll over farm land and through woods, where one comes upon a jetty, at the river’s edge. Here you will find a brass bell that is the signal for the boat man to come and transport you across to the castle. Threave castle was constructed in the 1370′s by Archibald Douglas (Archibald the Grim), soon after he became Lord of Galloway. Threave continued to be his home until his death in 1400. The origin of the name Threave comes from the ancient Welsh word for Homestead, ‘Tref’.
Threave Gardens
A businessman from Liverpool, William Gordon, purchased Threave House and estate, as a summer dwelling for his extensive family, in 1867. The 24 acre Threave Gardens were established alongside the house, and are now a popular tourist attraction. The National Trust for Scotland continue to develop and maintain the house and gardens, as well as running the tourist center. There are various gardens around the estate, including the
Peat Garden, Woodland Garden and Secret Garden. In springtime, the parade of daffodils are magnificent, and attract visitors from far and wide. A favorite of children who visit Threave Gardens is the Discovery Garden. It was created to attract children, with its mown grass paths winding through meadows smothered in wild flowers.
Castle Douglas Art Gallery
The Castle Douglas Art Gallery is an excellent venue, which plays host to an array of art and crafts throughout the year. Many touring exhibitions are regularly displayed, as well as temporary exhibitions, all running from Easter to Christmas. The art gallery started life in 1938, and was given to Castle Douglas by the artist, Mrs Ethel Bristowe. In 1996 the gallery was upgraded using funding from the National Lottery. Many of the exhibits in the gallery, including photographs, are for sale. Nearby to the gallery, are two other attractions, Threave Castle and Threave Garden. These are to be found no more than a few miles away.
If you are in the process of considering having a vacation in Scotland and you plan to spend some time in Castle Douglas you may want to book your accommodation online and you will find listings of accommodation and hotels in Castle Douglas at http://castledouglas.hotelreservationhelper.com.
