Dumfries and Galloway anyone?

[barryd]

Thanks for all the suggestions. We will be going off grid again shortly so may not be back online for a bit.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

YIPEE!!!

 

[winks]

Did you just wing it at Otter Pools? I thought it was no overnight although I was tempted when we stopped for lunch.

Enjoyed the drive through from east to west at a steady 10 mph and payed the £2 at the machine. Didn’t like the look of Clatteringshaws because the place was mobbed that day. Handy to tip the loo off though.

Cheers

H

 

[maingate]

Can get very very busy down there especially at weekends, despite the pictures.Its too close and accesible to Glasgow.
I think the forest drive is still closed there as well (due to too many undesireables abusing it).

Well, what's one more undesirable .....

...... go for it Barry.

 

[trevskoda]

Playing pools, what an otter load of nonsense.

 

[mistericeman]

We stopped with the landrovers a couple of years back on the shores of Loch doon....
Was'nt bad when we landed on the Thursday night BUT Saturday when we, broke camp to carry on up the West Coast it was turning into NED central...
The evidence all around (a lot of which we cleared/bagged and shipped out) was that it was a regular spot for folks to head to and consume their own body weight of tenants/Buckie at....
The final straw was a camping chair with a hole cut in the base on the Loch side.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

The final straw was a camping chair with a hole cut in the base on the Loch side.

I've had curries like that too.

 

[davep10000]

Well at least Loch Doon is in Ayrshire, so it cant spoil the Dumfries and Glloway reputation!
there used to be so many burnt out caravans up there, but it all got cleared up, however last year the lockdown crowds arrived......

 

[Stu2]

Hi re otterpools, the sign says the carpark is not part of the trial scheme but didn't have a definite no. We arrived late left early.

 

[Herman]

This may not be what your after, but this is a nice little stop over behind the Steam Packet in at Whithorn

 

[barryd]

This may not be what your after, but this is a nice little stop over behind the Steam Packet in at WhithornView attachment 101934

I can vaguely remember a car park round the corner from the pub at Whithorn but for some reason I thought you couldn't overnight there. Is it OK then?

Anyway. Here is the plan now. I think we will head down the coast to the Mull of Galloway and miss our loch Doon. Maybe go up to Loch Ken when we head east along the coast.

Still not sure what's going on with the battery. We were off grid last night after four days on EHU and after a night of telly and general usage it was reading 12.3 at bed time (11:30) but is showing 12.9 this morning and now 13.1 with no real solar charge going in so it's all a bit odd. I think therefore I'll just wing it and see how it goes. If it dies it dies. I think we will leave Arran early next week if we can get a ferry booked tomorrow.

Hopefully we may well be out into early October which is not bad going considering we were a gnats knob away from selling the van back in May but decided to naff off in June on a bit of a trip

Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[winks]

Isle of Whithorn is a really nice place to stop for a couple of nights and bang on the slipway to get your kayak in the water.

We had a night there last week. There is a tip off for the loo via a screw cap on the stack at the back of the harbour toilet in the portacabin and there’s a tap round the front. The street lighting is on all night, which was a bit of a pain. Food at the Steam Packet is good, a bit prissy apart from the fish and chips and not as cheap as Wetherspoons.

Cheers

H

 

[barryd]

Isle of Whithorn is a really nice place to stop for a couple of nights and bang on the slipway to get your kayak in the water.

We had a night there last week. There is a tip off for the loo via a screw cap on the stack at the back of the harbour toilet in the portacabin and there’s a tap round the front. The street lighting is on all night, which was a bit of a pain. Food at the Steam Packet is good, a bit prissy apart from the fish and chips and not as cheap as Wetherspoons.

Cheers

H

Sounds good that. I remember the grassy car park but it must be 13 years since we last were there. I'm sure there were no camping / overnighting signs back then otherwise we would have stayed but clearly from your post it's ok now.

Fish n Chips sounds good from the pub. After the prices on Arran I suspect everywhere will seem cheap.

 

[barryd]

Just a bit of an update. We ended up for a couple of nights on a CL just near the Mull of Galloway which was your typical Farm CL of old, very basic, great views, on grass, EHU for a tenner a night. Only us and one van the fist night then just us. I chose it because having joined the Caravan and Motorhome Club again the other day just for the CL's it had the worst write up in the reviews on the "Club site". https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/certi...d/dumfries--galloway/sandhead/mid-float-farm/ Hilarious thought I. Sounds right up our alley and at least it wont be full of the Colonel Blimp Curtain twitchers. It was spot on but only really any good if you have secondary transport. Nice ride down to the Mull but glad we never stayed there as it was blowing a hooley down there.

Then we ended up at the Isle of Whithorn for two nights on the grassy bit round the back of the harbour. Everyone seems to head for the top and far walls which is crackers as you wont get level even with blocks. If you come down towards the harbour wall nearer the sea its flat! 9 in one night and 10 the next. The next night we spent on Wigtown Harbour and I am pleased to say I think the battery is ok. Maybe not as good as it once was but I think I was just expecting too much in late September.

Now we are here. https://solwayviewholidays.co.uk/ Yes I know its a "Site" but its ok. Three nights then not sure what to do. I think it might be a bit too cold and windy on Loch Ken for Kayaking so may head round to the Lake District but I have a feeling all the CL sites and even many sites might be full.

 

[Tonybvi]

Nice spot down by the old lighthouse Jetty here:

///harmonica.copiers.loud

Not exactly a wild spot, but nobody there when I visited. Farmer came round and collected money £2 at the time, tough that was a couple of years ago.

Morph

£2.50 per person now - stayed there a week back. There are actually 2 areas to park up by the waters edge on either side of the approach road to the Mull of Galloway lighthouse, both owned by the same farmer. Choose either depending on which way the wind is blowing as they face opposite directions!

 

[barryd]

This might have been mentioned up thread but it was a cracking spot down towards the Mull of Galloway. Its right outside the Caravan and Motorhome Club site at New England Bay. Literally part of the same site but its council ground and you can wild there for free. I spoke to a couple who were parked there and we would have moved but were on the CL by then and quite happy there.

I bet the "Club" love that

New England Bay

Details for New England Bay a Overnight parking - with services Port Logan, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, United Kingdom, DG9 9NX

www.searchforsites.co.uk

 

[mikejay]

Was up Dumfries way beginning of September and stopped one night at a little community aire called castle corner caerlaverock dg14ru. It had fresh water and black waste disposal with a donation box. Not been loch doon for maybe 15yrs but when we 1st went there was smashed up caravans everywhere with eviction notices on the remains. Remember a couple crying saying there caravan with sentimental stuff in it had been smashed up. Surprised it is still on going.

Mike

 

[barryd]

Going up to just beyond Castle Douglas tomorrow on a CL and if I can get fuel for the bike a ride up loch Ken. Thats it after that. Heading to the Lake District on Thursday morning.

Its been ok Dumfries and Galloway but I wouldnt rush back.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

STayed there once.

 

[jann]

Have a look on Forestry commission website. They have some stay the night spots