Places to visit

Threave Castle is located on an island in the River Dee (Scottish Gaelic: Dè / Uisge Dhè), about 1.6 miles west of Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Dhùghlais, Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh, Alba). This castle was built in the 1370's by Douglas the Grim. It was clearly built with a high degree of security in mind. It is made up of a five storey keep, with eight feet thick walls surrounded by a curtain wall with round towers.

Tibbers Castle overlooks a ford across the River Nith (Scottish Gaelic: Abhainn Nid) to the east of the village of Carronbridge. The village is at the junction of the A76 and A702 roads approximately 1 mile north of Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway (Scottish Gaelic: Bàrr na Driseig, Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh). Tibbers Castle is first documented in 1298 when an older timber castle was replaced by a stone castle. The scant remains of this fortress belie its historical significance. It grew in importance as tensions between Scotland and England led to war and it played an important role in the Wars of Independence.  Tibbers Castle was taken by Robert the Bruce in 1306, before being regained by the English. This occupation finished in 1313, with the resurgence of Robert the Bruce's campaigns against the English. The remains of the oblong castle now only stand at about twelve feet.

Sanquhar Castle is located close to the village of Sanquhar, Dumfires and Galloway (Scottish Gaelic: Seanchair, Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh) in south west Scotland. The castle, now in ruins, was built by the Crichton family in the 13th century. To the west of the castle is the River Nith (Scottish Gaelic: Abhainn Nid) and to the north is a burn. The remainder of the boundary of the fortress is protected by a deep ditch. During its existence it has had some famous visitors including Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, Edward I, Mary Queen of Scots, and James VI.  A number of construction periods have been identified since the castle was originally built. The building began to fall into ruin from the mid 17th century. However, from  1895 to 1900 some reconstruction was started when it was purchased by John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute. The work ended upon his death in 1900. 

This is a two Neolithic chambered tomb built in the 4th millenium BC with an impressive curving façade. There are in fact two chambered tomb sites that stand within just over 164 yards (150m) of each other in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh, Alba). They are known as Cairnholy # 1 and Cairnholy # 2  and the name Cairnholy derives from the Gaelic Càrn na h-ulaidhe ‘cairn of the stone tomb'. Both are very impressive. These are both tombs to honour the ancestors of the Neolithic farming communities that lived in this area between 6000 and 4000 years ago.