Things to do in Castle Douglas

Just inland from the Solway Firth, which separates Dumfries and Galloway from the Lake District, lies the small town of Castle Douglas. As one of the best places to stay in Dumfries and Galloway, this foodie town offers plenty for those ravenous for both adventure and cuisine.

Things to do in Castle Douglas, Scotland, include enthralling walks, secluded beaches and as you’d expect, numerous places to fill up on local and global gastronomy. So, before you push north towards Edinburgh and the Highlands, stop off in Castle Douglas and see what the hype is about.

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Stewartry Agricultural Show

A day at the Stewartry Agricultural Show is a day full of fun for all the family. This annual agricultural event, which was covered by BBC’s The One Show in 2024, sees hordes of people and animals descend upon the grounds of Stewartry Rugby Club to eat, drink, compete and catch a glimpse of a fine prize cow.

Alongside the livestock judging, you can watch exhilarating show jumping or just potter around the tents buying up the homemade crafts and floral art. There’s an auction where you can bid for artwork, nights away, vouchers and hampers, and a dog show with the chance for children to show off their Crufts credentials. Sporty visitors can watch the BMX show or get involved in the mini sports day.

Threave Castle and Threave Garden

At only 4 miles apart (halve that if you’re walking), Threave Castle and Threave Garden can provide a day out that’s well worth leaving the town for. The former is a forbidding island fortress built in the 1400s with a 30m-tall tower house. You can enjoy a short boat trip across the River Dee and view the imposing castle but, unfortunately, due to masonry inspections, you cannot currently get up close and personal. Still, it’s a sight to behold from the water and you might even spot ospreys and otters on the hunt.

Threave Garden and Nature Reserve is a garden for all seasons with amazing wildlife-spotting opportunities – the osprey platform and bat reserve are not to be missed! As the only Scottish garden dedicated to the training of horticulturists, there will be a kaleidoscope of vivid flowers on display throughout the many ‘garden rooms’. Take in views of the Galloway Hills and the Ken/Dee Valley or follow the Diamond Trail on the wider estate.

Carlingwark Loch

The freshwater loch immediately to the south of Castle Douglas makes for a lovely spot to spend time by the water if you don’t fancy making the journey south or west to the beaches (more on that later). One of the great things to do in Castle Douglas for families who love wildlife watching and bug hunting, a walk around Carlingwark Loch will provide you with the opportunity to see breeding songbirds alongside coots, mute swans, tufted ducks, shovelers and great crested grebes.

Along the boardwalk, you’ll also have the chance to spot water beetles and scurrying spiders residing in a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, and when you look up, you can admire the landscape with beautiful views of the hills of Screel and Bengairn.

Sulwath Brewers

Taking its name from the ancient word for the Solway Estuary which marked the border between Scotland and England in the 13^th century, Sulwath Brewers is proud to remain committed to its roots and brew beers in a traditional style, with no concentrates or colourings. They argue that the aroma and flavours of mass-produced beers can’t come close to what you can yield with smaller productions. It’s hard to dispute this when you try one of their beers.

Open to the public from Monday to Saturday 10am–6pm, the brewery offers lovely outside tables where you can savour the beers in the Scottish sunshine. If you fancy a tour, book online or over the phone to meet the brewer and journey through the brewery. The tour includes a pint of your choice (which you can take home should you wish).

Beaches near Castle Douglas

If you’re looking for dog-friendly things to do in Castle Douglas, beaches are a safe bet. Whilst the town itself is a little inland, there are many beaches a short journey away, including The Dhoon Beach, Rockcliffe Beach, Auchenlarie Beach, Powillimount Beach, Red Haven Beach and Horse Isle Bay. Here is a little more information on three of the best.

Mossyard Beach

This hidden gem of a beach is only 100 metres long but can provide you with hours of sandy fun thanks to its seclusion and numerous rock pools. Adventurers heading to Mossyard Beach can hire water sports equipment or book exhilarating sessions at the nearby activity centre and avid walkers can extend their days at the Galloway Forest National Park to the north.

Sandyhills Beach

If you’re after a stretch of sand that’s a little larger, Sandyhills Beach is a great option. The gentle slope of sand down to the water makes it an ideal spot for paddling with the family and the depth of the beach means there’s plenty of space to walk at low tide. If you still have the urge to walk after a day on the sand, you can enjoy a pleasing cliff-top walk on the way to Rockcliffe.

Carrick Beach

Outside of the summer months, you may have Carrick Beach to yourself. This unspoilt beach is reached via a track road and rewards you with impressive views of the mountainous landscape along the coast. Owing to its remoteness, there are few facilities nearby so bring a picnic and set up on the sand for the day. The waters are ideal for swimming and paddling, and you’ll quite often see water sports enthusiasts taking to the ocean too.

Walks in Castle Douglas

There aren’t many things to do in and around Castle Douglas that don’t involve a little walking. As we’ve already covered Threave Estate and Carlingwark Loch, we’ll head a little further out of town and explore three delightful walks in the nearby area.

Balcary Circular

This circular walk south of Castle Douglas offers hikers amazing views out to sea on clear days. Do note that this may not be one for families as the route is proximal to steep cliff edges which may concern those with little ones on wet and windy days. That being said, the natural landscape is phenomenal, and you can experience a little bit of everything on this walk: cliffs, hills, beach, forest, fields and a small lake.

Moyl Circular

Grab the chance to climb Moyl and your payment will be blissful views from the top. You can take a small detour on this circular walk and visit the beach of White Port or even the lush sands of Horse Isle Bay (mentioned earlier in our beach section). This is a quiet walk that hugs the coast as you venture further out onto the peninsula but also takes in some gorgeous woodland. Sturdy footwear is advised as the route can become boggy at times.

Doach Wood Circular

Moving away from the coast, the Doach Wood Circular is a lovely waymarked, easy-to-follow route that will fill you full of serenity. Take time to forest bathe among the Douglas firs before heading uphill to catch a glimpse of the vista stretching away towards the Solway coast and the distant hills of the Lake District. From this viewpoint, look down and you may spot soaring buzzards eyeing up their next kill.

Shopping in Castle Douglas

Shops in Castle Douglas, Scotland, are eclectic and varied with 90% of them privately owned. This means you’re less likely to find huge brand names, but rather you’ll be treated to smaller, independent stores where you can find unique gifts to remember your Scottish holiday by.

Wander the streets and you’ll find suppliers of all kinds of wares: bike shops, charity shops and art shops are in plentiful supply. There are also hobby shops, hardware stores, clothes shops and purveyors of children's toys.

One of the most popular shops in Castle Douglas is The Artist @ Burford Antiques which sells the unusual and forgotten, original and sublime. Join the art club or just browse the shop and pick up something quirky. Alternatively, climb to the first floor and feel your emotions stir as you gaze upon the original artwork in the gallery. Other galleries include the Gallery at Laurieston and Moonbroch Arts.

We’re sure you’re thinking that the self-proclaimed foodie town must have a couple of places to buy something to eat. You’d be correct. A must-visit would be to In House Chocolates by Design, an artisan chocolatier where quality is valued above all else. Innovation is also key (they did invent the original chocolate sprout, after all) and they invite you to come and sample one (or more) of their 65 chocolate flavours. For those who can’t get enough of that wonderful sweet stuff, The Toffee Shop offers a selection of over 300 jars of sweets and 25 flavours of ice cream. Quirky sweets, old-fashioned sweets, even sugar-free sweets – this place has it all.

Moving away from sticky things, Country House Interiors offers an eclectic mix of antiques and unusual interior pieces including furniture, pottery, soaps, lampshades and award-winning cushions. You can also purchase antiques and interior pieces at Leslie and Baggott.

Places to eat in Castle Douglas

As a foodie town, Castle Douglas offers numerous fabulous places to eat and drink. There are cafes, restaurants and takeaways galore including over 50 independent food businesses.

The previously mentioned In House Chocolates by Design has a café in the centre of Castle Douglas where you can choose to savour their signature hot chocolate or instead, choose from over 25 types of coffee and more than 14 varieties of tea. It’d be rude not to have a chocolate or two with your drink too.

Further cafes include Threave Garden Café which utilises the fresh produce from the Threave Walled Garden, and Street Lights Coffee House which offers homemade cakes and good-sized portions. Another option is Designs Café which is housed within a wonderful gallery selling books, jewellery and all manner of other interesting items. The homecooked food is affordable and endeavours to be as organic as possible, with little to no additives or preservatives used.

For something a little special, book in at Mr Pook’s Kitchen. Offering you Dumfries and Galloway on a plate, head chef Ed Pook aims to showcase the very best produce from the area and transform it into sumptuous meals using ancient, classic and modern cooking techniques.

Once you’ve tasted local, why not go global? Some great options for cuisine from around the world exist in Castle Douglas including Carlo's Restaurant, a small slice of Italy in a lovely corner of Scotland. Jewel in The Crown is Castle Douglas’ resident Indian restaurant where it’s believed that feeding the soul is just as important as feeding the body. Bring your own drinks and enjoy the smells and flavours of true Indian cuisine.

The Olive Retreat is your gateway to an authentic Mediterranean indulgence. Choose a main (vegan and gluten-free options available) or just pick out some smaller tapas bowls; whatever you decide, this is a Mediterranean experience not to be missed. Rounding off our world tour is The Jade Palace, a Chinese eat-in and takeaway restaurant with friendly staff and meal sizes that will never leave you hungry.

Finally, moving towards takeaways and food you can eat on the go, at King Street Sandwich Bar and Deli, you can grab some staples like baked tatties or experiment with sandwiches from across Europe and North America. Wrap 'n' Roll is another sandwich bar with a large variety of fillings, homemade soups and hot and cold drinks. Lastly, if you just want some old-fashioned fish and chips, head to Moore’s, a chippy that has been present for nearly 50 years, championing the best quality fish that Scotland has to offer.

Things to do near Castle Douglas

Things to do in and around Castle Douglas are plentiful too. Just drive a short distance and you can experience some wonderful sights.

Visit the Galloway Forest Park Red Deer Range and set your eyes upon Scotland’s largest land mammal. These magnificent red deer can be viewed from the hide – sometimes they come extremely close to the viewing area which can get the heart racing in a good way. Entry is free and you’ll most likely see other wildlife too including buzzards and other birds of prey.

Speaking of birds, a visit to the RSPB Ken-Dee Marshes Reserve is worth your time whilst in the area. The wetland area provides a habitat for redshanks, lapwings and shoveler ducks, and the broadleaf trees provide shelter for barn owls, redstarts, song thrushes, spotted and pied flycatchers, and willow tits. The nearby kite feeding station and viewing platform will give you a great view of Loch Ken whilst observing these agile birds.

Ernespie Farm provides fun for the whole family. Learn about life on the farm before letting the kids ride on the pedal karts and slides. There’s a gorgeous woodland walk to enjoy before refuelling in the farmhouse kitchen and spending your holiday pennies in the garden centre and gift shop.

Map of things to do in Castle Douglas

The many walks, activities and other things to do in Castle Douglas can be found on the handy map below.

Self-catering cottages in Castle Douglas

With all these walks, beaches and attractions to enjoy, you’ll need a place to rest up, refuel and relax before doing it all again. Search our holiday cottages in and around Castle Douglas below and begin your Dumfries and Galloway adventure today.

Castle Douglas cottages