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Dumfries and Galloway short walks

15 of the best short walks in Dumfries and Galloway in southwest Scotland.

Handpicked by Cicerone's expert author, and with no complicated navigation or challenging terrain, these routes can be enjoyed by walkers of all abilities.

Ronald Turnbull has chosen 15 of the best short walks around Dumfries and Galloway. Each walk comes with easy-to-read Ordnance Survey maps, clear route description and lots of images, plus information on local beauty spots and tasty refreshment stops. No challenging terrain or complicated navigation means walks can be enjoyed by everyone.
Seasons
Year-round; some routes will be muddy in autumn and winter.
Centres
Portpatrick, Newton Stewart, Gatehouse of Fleet, Kirkcudbright, Castle Douglas, Dumfries, Annan
Difficulty
Routes are on paths throughout. These vary between smooth well-surfaced ones and some that are more rugged. One route (Balcary Bay) is close above clifftops and Criffel summit is a substantial climb.
Must See
Beautiful coastline; Criffel summit; Sweetheart Abbey; the old sandstone towns of Gatehouse of Fleet, Newton Stewart and Castle Douglas; the great rivers Nith and Annan; the ancient Wood of Cree