Galloway Forest Park

Galloway Forest Park is a huge stretch of hills, lochs and forest across inland Dumfries and Galloway, and it's often described as the largest forest park in the UK.

Much of its modern reputation comes from its skies rather than its trees: in 2009 it became the UK's first Dark Sky Park, a status awarded for having some of the least light-polluted, darkest night skies in the country, and it remains a popular destination for stargazing well beyond Scotland. The park's visitor centres run astronomy-related events, and on a clear night away from the few local light sources, the Milky Way is genuinely visible to the naked eye.

Glen Trool and the hills

Glen Trool, in the north of the park, is its best-known valley, wrapped around Loch Trool and overlooked by the Merrick, the highest hill in southern Scotland. The area has waymarked walking trails ranging from easy lochside strolls to serious hill walks, and it's popular with cyclists too, with forest tracks and dedicated mountain bike trails running through the park.

Where to Stay near Galloway Forest Park

Galloway Forest Park itself has no town within it, so most visitors base themselves in Newton Stewart, on the park's western edge, or Gatehouse of Fleet to the south.

• 
  Bruce Hotel — in Newton Stewart, on the western edge of the park.
• 
  Black Horse Hotel — also in Newton Stewart, close to the Kirroughtree 7stanes trails.
• 
  Creebridge House Hotel — a country house hotel at Minnigaff, a few miles from the park.
• 
  Cally Palace Hotel & Golf Course — a country house hotel on the southern approach at Gatehouse of Fleet.

Getting there

The park spans a large rural area with no railway station of its own; the usual approach is by road via Newton Stewart in the west or the A712 "Queen's Way" that cuts through the park itself, and a car is by far the easiest way to reach the more remote viewpoints and trailheads.