Absolutely spectacular! Over 700 years old, by far the oldest building I've ever personally had the…read morepleasure to touch, or photograph, Sweetheart Abby speaks to the history lover in all of us. The drive to the Abby is picturesque, along the rolling hills and tucked away in a quaint village - the roads not changed much since the village was founded, narrow and harrowing if there's any traffic. The walls of the former monastery rise up from the verdant hills towards the sky, ruins now, but once, they would have been grand. For 4.50 you get to spend as much time as you like, roaming through the well preserved old gal, there are signs that tell you about her bones, and her history. Listen to the pigeons who roost in her eves and flutter back and forth. Occasionally some sound like Monks speaking their prayers - or perhaps that is just an echo from the past coming back to your ears. Either way, The Sweetheart Abby tells the tale of a woman, lost, who had her husband's heart embalmbed, so that when SHE died, she could be buried holding onto it. Love is eternal they say. Behind the old Church is a vast and dated graveyard. Pay attention walking amidst the stones. The ground is moist and the soil can be loose. It is said that the stones may falter. Tread lightly lest you be the next resident among the stones.

These ruins are on the way from Manchester to Scotland - not too far out of your way. They were…read morethe cover photo for my Fodors Scotland book. That was, of course, and eye-grabbing photo. You will be able to get a great set of photos too - even if you are not a pro photographer and if it's raining, as it was for us. Worth the stop.

After dashing back to Dumfries from Caerlaverock Castle, I was afraid that I had missed my chance…read moreto see this museum. However, the two ladies tending shop not only let me in less than ten minutes before closing, but they very kindly gave me a parking disc for my car. The house is small, but it's worth seeing just to BE in Burns' house. There are several artifacts, including books owned by Burns, both his and others'. Most interesting to me was his desk and chair, at which he wrote much of his famous work, including "Tam O'Shanter." Just imagine him sitting there. Very cool. Burns lived in this house for the last three years of his life, and died here in 1796. His widow continued to reside here until 1834. His son purchased the home in 1851 and placed it under the care of trustees, to be preserved for perpetuity as a memorial to his father. If you visit the house (actually, whether you do or not), take a stroll up the road to St Michael's Churchyard, where you will find the Burns Mausoleum. You can't miss it, as the white marble structure stands out like a beacon among the shabby brown and rust-colored gravestones all around.

This is is a grade B listed iron fountain (built in 1882) and one of the main landmarks in the…read moretown, standing today in a pedestrianised area surrounded by shops. It has three tiers (which always make me think of one of those old-fashioned cake stands), four demonic-looking cherubs squeezing water out of the mouths of crocodiles (I haven't been able to find out why) with a few dolphins and storks thrown in for good measure. I seem to remember this fountain looking much better before it was painted in the garish red and gold colours of today, although, to be honest, I never paid it much attention before. I couldn't help but notice it recently!

This is a magical place just outside the village of New Abbey. Museum of Costume that has over the…read moreyears hosted exibitions such as the costumes from the motion picture Titanic." How did Kate Winslet get into those dresses " was common say at the time. Most recently a fantastic exibition on the work of the great scottish fashion icon Jean Muir. Its a lovely place to visit for the fashion minded and creative. The house and grounds are beautiful also.

Been going here with my family for years, however the choice of food in the tea room has decreased…read moredramatically.

I visited Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura on 18 July 2019 while on a walking tour of Dumfries…read more When I arrived I was informed about a potential camera obscura show, though whether we would get to see it in use would be dependent on the weather as the technology is weather sensitive. I attended the use of the camera obscura with another group (a dad and two kids). The camera obscura worker was clever and creative in showing us how the technology worked and descriptive in providing societal context of how it was received and distributed across Scotland. We were stopped early due to weather, however, we were able to see it in use, which was very cool. Had a crisper image than a lot of even the nicer cameras these days. A variety of exhibits were well laid out and easy to navigate. Some provided background about Scotland and the Dumfries area. Others covered more global events and topics. All of the ones I perused had informational placards and straightforward displays that made reading, learning, and contextualizing approachable. Gifts and other items were on sale near the entrance. I found a card I loved with a female harvest mouse holding onto blades of grass. As a rodent-adorer (I had pet mice, rats, and hamsters growing up) it melted my heart on sight and I had to get it, so I did. All of the workers I interacted with were friendly and helpful.

If you're visiting dumfries, pay a visit to the museum, its an old windmill that sits on higher…read moreground on the maxwelltown side of the river nith. The exhibits havent changed a great deal over the years, but are of a pretty high standard in my opinion. The building itself is really cool, and theres one of the few remaining working camera obscuras in the uk, so its worth it for that alone.

The Old Bridge House is located on the western end of the Devorgilla Bridge by a shared parking…read morearea. I visited not long after the house opened for the day on 18 July 2019 as a starting point for a walking tour of Dumfries. The worker(s) were very kind and knowledgable about the history of the building and the locality in general. Different exhibits throughout the house preserve a variety of artifacts helping to contextualize what life has been like during the operation of the house. Technically, the house is still in operation in the sense of serving as a place for Devorgilla Bridge travelers to learn about the bridge with or without traversing it. More of a museum these days, though the functionality of the house has changed over time.

Fell over the Old Bridge House in Dumfries whilst trying to find the Burns Centre. Lucky for us, as…read moreit's quite a sweet, if brief visit to a 17th century house, without toilet or running water, that was occupied until 1959 (last occupant raised 6 kids on one floor of the house, then split into two flats). Originally built to house a cask maker, it is built into the bridge that crosses over to Dumfries itself from Maxwelltown (?). I know this because a remarkably helpful man told us all of this and more when we wandered in (we also had a right royal moan about the Edinburgh trams, but then again who wouldn't?). The items on display are a little mind boggling - no description cards and for some reason, there are displays of childrens toys from the last century, dentistry and living quarters. Just not sure why here and what the intent is? If I understood the meaning of the displays, this would definitely go up to a 4 star. It's free too and definitely something to support remaining so.

A beautiful building, paid for by the legendary Andrew Carnegie, who was by all accounts the Bill…read moreGates of his day. Great selection of books, and peaceful surroundings, and even free internet access. Fantastic library

I cannot fault these people.I had travelled 350 miles from Oxford to Dumfries to do research.The…read morestaff simply couldn't do enough to help me.I spent several days off and on and enjoyed every minute there.This was a few years ago but is fresh in my memory.