Two Tickets To Galloway Forest Park: Staying in a Shepherd’s Hut

It was fitting that the final leg of our Scotland road trip would take us back to the beautiful Dumfries and Galloway region. This was where we took our first ever self-catering break together back in 2015. In fact, our first time in Dumfries and Galloway was the subject of our first ever blog post! How times have changed.

Travellers often overlook Dumfries and Galloway, choosing to head further north into the Highlands. However, we think it makes for the perfect place to break up your journey and spend a couple of nights. This is exactly what we chose to do, having found ourselves the most brilliant shepherd’s hut to stay in, before heading back home.

Day One: Living the Shepherd’s Hut Life

Having enjoyed a brilliant road trip through Scotland, including driving the fantastic A82 from Loch Lomond to Fort William, we wanted our final stay to be ultra-relaxing.

We’d booked ourselves in for two nights at the Creeside Escape Shepherd’s Hut. Having never stayed in a shepherd’s hut before, we were excited to try it out. Unlike other huts we’d researched – which were normally part of a larger campsite – Creeside Escape was blissfully isolated, standing alone at the bottom of a field.

It looked like the perfect place to sign off our journey through Scotland, and indeed it quickly became our favourite accommodation of the trip. We arrived late afternoon, parking up in the small bay next to the road. From here, it was a short walk through the field to reach the hut.

The location was perfect. No other buildings could be seen, and the hut offered uninterrupted views over the river and across to the trees. We had the field to ourselves, although we had hoped we might end up sharing it with a flock of sheep! Maybe next time – I can think of few better alarm clocks.

After a couple of trips to the car to bring all the essentials across, we were ready to settle in for the evening. The hut was well equipped with a gas stove, and we had no problem rustling up some pasta and plenty of cups of tea. By the time we’d eaten, the sun was beginning to set, and we enjoyed the calming stillness of the surroundings whilst sat huddled on the bench outside.

The star attraction was, without a doubt, the wood-burning stove. As the heat of the day disappeared with the sun, we fired it up. Before long, we had a gently crackling fire to enjoy. No doubt this would make the hut completely livable even during the depths of winter – it certainly made it toasty-warm enough for our evening.

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Stargazing in the dark skies of Dumfries and Galloway

Galloway Forest Park is a ‘Dark Sky Park’, which recognises the lack of light pollution in the area. This makes it the perfect spot for star gazing – you just need to strike lucky with the weather!

Resisting the urge to submit completely to the comfort of the fireplace, we waited until the sun had completely disappeared before putting on our boots and heading outside. Dumfries and Galloway’s reputation for being a star-gazing hotspot is well deserved. We were greeted with a spectacular display above us. We stuck it out as long as we could, enjoying the amazing views of the night sky before heading back inside to warm up.

We’d repeat this ritual several times. Eventually, the fire died down and it was time to turn in for the night.

Day Two: Exploring the trails around Loch Trool

Our only full day in Dumfries and Galloway turned out to be another sunny one. Quite what we’d done to deserve such brilliant weather during our two weeks in Scotland in September, we weren’t too sure. To have escaped with only one day wiped out by rain – on a very wet Isle of Skye – was nothing short of miraculous.

We’d be spending our day exploring Loch Trool, in the heart of Galloway Forest Park. Glentrool Visitor Center is the gateway to the loch, and the wider Glentrool area is particularly famous for world-class mountain biking trails. Although we’d be sticking resolutely to hiking, there was a noticeable number of visitors who had come prepared for a day on two wheels.

Hiking the Loch Trool Loop

Our chosen route was the Loch Trool Loop. This trail would take us around the entire loch, passing some wonderful scenery along the way. Armed with a packed lunch fit for a king, we set off on the short drive from the shepherd’s hut to our starting point.

We began at the Glentrool Visitor Centre car park. The trail began by climbing gentling through the forest, until we caught our first glimpse of the loch below. We descended through the trees, until eventually we found ourselves tracking alongside the water. We waved at a group who were setting up to wild camp on Loch Trool’s shores, before pressing on.

By the time the views of the water began to open up, we were navigating a narrow path which clung to the steep slopes above the loch. It was towards the end of this section that we spotted a sign, informing us that this was the site of the ‘Battle of Trool’. Here, Robert the Bruce – vastly outnumbered – defeated an English army by ambushing them from above with boulders. The English, trapped between the speeding rocks and the freezing waters of the loch, stood no chance.

After following the trail round to the other side of the water, we came across the ‘Bruce’s Stone’. This huge boulder is an apt memorial to Bruce’s victory, and enjoys a commanding view over the loch. It also marks the beginning of the long hiking trail to scale the Merrick. This is the tallest hill in southern Scotland, and a popular climb for visitors to Loch Trool.

It was at this point that we released that it was not only the English who’d fallen foul of the steep sides of the loch We passed a group of four young Russians, who were dragging two already-inflated kayaks along the path. Unfortunately for them, they were at least a twenty minute walk from a suitable launch site. Still, at least they didn’t have hundreds of angry Scots launching rocks at them. Every cloud and all that.

Exploring the magical Wood of Cree

Even accounting for a lunch break, we completed the 10km Loch Trool Trail much more quickly than we’d expected. This left us an opportunity to explore some more of the area. We chose to head down towards the Wood of Cree, a nature reserve and area of ancient woodland.

As we arrived at the car park, we found ourselves to be one of only three vehicles. Perhaps not too surprising, given that it’s well hidden down a bumpy single track road. However, what the Wood of Cree lacks in visitors, it makes up for in magic.

The Ancient Woodland of the Wood of Cree

The trails around the ancient oak woodland are special. As you wander around, serenaded by the sounds of the gentle streams, it’s like you’ve been dropped right into an Enid Blyton novel.

Damp moss covered the ground, creating a soft carpet of green which muffled our footsteps if we ever strayed from the path. Delicate slivers of sunshine broke through the trees, the light dancing on the ground as the branches swayed.

We passed small waterfalls, and stopped occasionally to take in the atmosphere. Each time we did, we’d hear bird song – the Wood of Cree is home to over 100 different species. Once we’d completed our loop, we exited back to the empty car park.

Hoping for an Otter Sighting at the Wood of Cree

Across the road from the ancient woodland is the river Cree. Here, a small viewing platform overlooks a large, still section of the water. This is known as the otter pool, and we were excited to see what we could spot.

We’d arrived at the otter pool at golden hour, which is normally a perfect time to spot wildlife. On this occasion, we weren’t lucky enough to catch a glimpse of any otters, although the occasional distant ducks did give us false hope!

Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful place to sit for a while. We ended up sharing the platform with a couple more wildlife watchers, none of whom had any more luck than we did. A buzzard and a few moorhens were the only creatures to make a cameo appearance, before we headed back to the shepherd’s hut for more log fires and star gazing.

Day Three: Waving goodbye to Loch Trool and Dumfries & Galloway

As we woke up on Sunday, it was hard to believe that our Scotland road trip had finally come to an end. Two weeks had flown by, and we’d quite happily have extended our stay – perhaps indefinitely!

We were greeted with an early morning frost, a first indication that we were speeding towards autumn. It made for a beautiful final breakfast in the shepherd’s hut, as we enjoyed our cups of tea in the fresh, crisp air.

Before we knew it, it was time for our farewell walk through the field and back to our car. We have no doubt we’ll be returning to stay here at some point in the future – it’s the perfect place to escape!

One last visit to the Loch Trool area

Greeted by another sunny day, we decided to make the most of our trip back home. For us, this meant heading back to Glentrool and heading off on one final walk of the trip.

This time, instead of tackling the full loop around Loch Trool, we instead followed the Water of Trool trail, enjoying the peaceful sounds of the river. We hardly saw another soul. Dumfries and Galloway may not be at the top of many peoples’ list for a Scotland road trip, but we really do think that people are missing out. This is tranquil Scotland, sans crowds.

The home stretch to England

From Glentrool, it was just over 100 minutes to Gretna Green – the border with England. We decided to take the scenic route, and before too long we could make out the mountains of the Lake District on the horizon. We’d knew we’d be back in England before too long.

We did, however, have time for one final stop. Drummuir Farm is well-known locally for producing its own excellent ice cream. Given the sunny weather, we decided to sign off our time in Scotland with a visit.

Deciding which flavours to go for was perhaps the hardest choice of the trip. Nevertheless, we made our call, and headed outside with tubs filled to burst. As we devoured the rapidly melting ice cream, it was time to begin reminiscing – something which we’re still not done with! Scotland is a remarkable country, and we won’t be forgetting our road trip here in a hurry.

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