Travel, Accommodation and Local Information – Dumfries & Galloway
On your visit to Dumfries & Galloway, you will be inspired by the abundance of unspoiled natural beauty of the region – the dramatic coastline, rolling hills and vast woodland forests. The nearby Galloway Forest Park has been officially recognised as the first Dark Sky Park in the UK, one of the best places in the world for stargazing at the Milky Way.
Many world-famous people have called Dumfries & Galloway their home: JM Barrie’s Peter Pan was inspired by his childhood experience of a Dumfries garden. James Clerk Maxwell, one of the world’s greatest physicists developed his theories of light and gases, radio waves and quantum mechanics was brought up in Parton near Castle Douglas. He produced the world’s first colour photograph in 1861. More recently, former F1 racing driver David Coultard grew up in Twynholm near Kirkcudbright. But perhaps the most famous of all was Scotland’s national Bard, Robbie Burns, who lived and worked in Dumfries in his later years, and is buried in St Michael’s churchyard in the town.
Perhaps your visit to Dumfries may inspire you to return again to explore this wonderful region.
Getting Here
By car or coach: The M6 and A74(M) motorways are just 12 miles from Dumfries, enabling easy access from all regions of the UK. From the south, leave the M6 at Gretna Green and follow the A75 to Dumfries. Turn left at the junction with the A76, pass Tesco Superstore on your right and into Glasgow Street and follow the signs for the Ice Bowl. From the north, leave the A74(M) at J15 Moffat and follow the A701 to Dumfries. Turn right at the junction with the A75 then proceed to the junction with the A76. Turn left onto the A76 Glasgow Street and pass Tesco Superstore on your right. Follow the signs for the Ice Bowl.
By air: Edinburgh (82m), Glasgow International (85m) Prestwick (66m) and Newcastle (90m) airports are all within a 2 hour drive of Dumfries. International connections can be via London airports, Paris or Amsterdam Schipol.
By rail: Take trains on the West Coast line from England to Carlisle or Lockerbie. Lockerbie is just 12 miles by bus, car or taxi to Dumfries while Scotrail trains run regularly to Dumfries from Carlisle. From Glasgow Central station, trains run directly to Dumfries. Trains run approximately every 2 hours daily; duration approx 1h 40m.
If arriving at Glasgow International Airport, take the Arriva Flyer (Service 500) to City Centre Glasgow Central (service is every 10 minutes, single fare £4.50), then transfer to Dumfries train at Glasgow Central station. If arriving at Prestwick International, catch a train from the station opposite (via walkway) to Kilmarnock, then change to Dumfries train.
Possible Assistance for International Teams arriving by air:
Sk8scotland can provide details of coach companies/minibus services offering a pick up / set down service to/from Glasgow or Edinburgh airports. Costs and availability for this have yet to be determined. Please check with Sk8scotland website for details.
Useful Contacts:
| National Express | www.nationalexpress.com | 08717 818181 |
| Scottish Citylink | www.citylink.co.uk | 08705 50 50 50 |
| Traveline (local buses) | www.traveline.org.uk | 0871 200 22 33 |
| First Scotrail | www.firstscotrail.com | 08457 550 033 |
| National Rail Info | www.nationalrail.co.uk | 08457 48 49 50 |
| British Airways | www.ba.com | |
| Dumfries Ice Bowl | 01387 251300 |
