Hogmanay for kids...D&G any ideas?

[krhall]

I'd love to do something nice with the kids for Hogmanay as we are staying in Dumfries and Galloway, but as they are pretty young I don't want anything too rowdy or busy...

Any ideas?

I know a couple of you are from round here so if you have any suggestions they would be really welcome.

BTW D&G was awesome in the snowy winter wonderland...

[stewie]

http://www.visitdumfriesandgalloway.co.uk/
Check this out, where you staying btw ? me and the mrs spend a lot of time up in Kirkcudbright, love it up there

[krhall]

Near Castle Douglas on a farm called BarnCrosh lovely place, we went to Kirkcudbright yesterday, the wife wants to buy a place round here now. Not sure where she thinks we would find the money...

Carlingwalk Loch was a nice walk too actually 4+ miles for a 6 year old didn't go down well though...

Anywhere else we should visit while we are here?

[stewie]

Tbh I'm not sure mate, but theres a few on here from the area who can offer you more info than me, we tend to come up and do dog walking and the like, itd dead quiet and just how we like it, theres a nice run I do through Buckland glen, i'ts about 4.5 miles if you've got your trainers with you, bit vertical though, I know what your Mrs means though, my family is from the area, all round Dumfries, Annan, Raehill, Lochmaben etc I'd love to retire up there too

[Milky Bar Kid]

Tbh I'm not sure mate, but theres a few on here from the area who can offer you more info than me, we tend to come up and do dog walking and the like, itd dead quiet and just how we like it, theres a nice run I do through Buckland glen, i'ts about 4.5 miles if you've got your trainers with you, bit vertical though, I know what your Mrs means though, my family is from the area, all round Dumfries, Annan, Raehill, Lochmaben etc I'd love to retire up there too

Aye, me, Jamesmio and some others.

Kev, lemme get my thinking cap on and I will get back to you!

[stewie]

Aye, me, Jamesmio and some others.

Kev, lemme get my thinking cap on and I will get back to you!
You're so fortunate living up there MBK, its a really great area, not jealous or anything ;)

[Milky Bar Kid]

You're so fortunate living up there MBK, its a really great area, not jealous or anything ;)

Yeh really fortunate......:rolleyes: Area wise, yes its lovely but otherwise, not so good. Although not getting into the politics of it here!

[stewie]

Its ok, I think I know what you mean ;)

[JamesMio]

It's a beautiful area, spoiled by and wasted on the idiots that live in it... Stuff to do with the wee ones, dunno how wee but there's Galloway Forest Park about 15-20 miles west on the A75, wild deer, goats park, roadkill cafe and loads of walks and mountain bike trails to do. I'll have a think for other stuff too

[peterco]

ice cream and more ice cream

http://www.creamogalloway.co.uk/

it's closed for the winter

[krhall]

Are there any good restaurants (nothing posh) that we can have a meal out in with the kids?

We went to Cinderella at DG One earlier which the kids liked...

So what about hogmanay for kids?

[Milky Bar Kid]

It's a beautiful area, spoiled by and wasted on the idiots that live in it... Stuff to do with the wee ones, dunno how wee but there's Galloway Forest Park about 15-20 miles west on the A75, wild deer, goats park, roadkill cafe and loads of walks and mountain bike trails to do. I'll have a think for other stuff too

If I were you, I'd deffo take a look at the places James is talking about. From your location, I would go west on the A75 towards Newton Stewart (my house:smt039) and at the first junction for Newton Stewart, take the A712. It's a road we all love riding our bikes on around here. As you go up that road, you have a wild goat park, red deer park, grey mares tail, murrays monument, Raider's Road, Clatteringshaws Dam and there's also a small cafe.

I'm unsure if the Kirroghtree Visitor Centre is open at this time of year but it has a play park there and it also has some pretty well reknowned mountain bike trails. Failing that, it has normal trails through the Galloway Forest Park which we used to frequently cycle when we were little.

Food wise, not sure but I think there is a very nice Italian in Castle Douglas, which is a bit east of you, in Newton Stewart, the Unicorn is a nice chinese, wouldn't touch the indian personally, but there are also some nice little pub's for food, personal favourite being the Creebridge House Hotel. Not sure what there is in Kirkcudbright for eating, but if memory serves me correctly it has the Selkirk Arms which is owned by a well known local chef so I would recommend it. There is also the Masonic Arms in Gatehouse of Fleet.

[JamesMio]

It's a real shame that both the pubs down at Kippford now do really average food, because it's just lovely down there! Maybe still worth a wee trip down, because the grub's not bad as such, just nowhere near as good as such a pretty wee place like that deserves. Carlo's Italian in CD is quite nice, or any of the bits MBK's mentioned too. I'm struggling a wee bit with hogmanay, but in fairness I struggle to entertain myself at new year so I'm pretty hopeless there! Party at MBK's pad?! :0)

[Milky Bar Kid]

No, there shall be no party! lol!

[stewie]

Theres a resteraunt in KC called McLennans I think, its meant to have a good rep for traditional scottish food, its opposite where we stay but never seems open tbh :confused:

[dawn07]

We've been the last few years to a caravan park near Gatehouse of Fleet. If I were you I'd buy a local paper or ask in Tesco in Castle Douglas. There's bound to be family ceilidh in the community centre, and your child will love it! [kilts optional!]:thumbsup:

[Milky Bar Kid]

We've been the last few years to a caravan park near Gatehouse of Fleet. If I were you I'd buy a local paper or ask in Tesco in Castle Douglas. There's bound to be family ceilidh in the community centre, and your child will love it! [kilts optional!]:thumbsup:

I'd be very surprised if there were to be honest. Hogmanay not a big thing down hear really, no one tends to do much other than have a drink.

[munkygunn182]

I'd be very surprised if there were to be honest. Hogmanay not a big thing down hear really, no one tends to do much other than have a drink.

:o

[krhall]

If I were you, I'd deffo take a look at the places James is talking about. From your location, I would go west on the A75 towards Newton Stewart (my house:smt039) and at the first junction for Newton Stewart, take the A712. It's a road we all love riding our bikes on around here. As you go up that road, you have a wild goat park, red deer park, grey mares tail, murrays monument, Raider's Road, Clatteringshaws Dam and there's also a small cafe.

I'm unsure if the Kirroghtree Visitor Centre is open at this time of year but it has a play park there and it also has some pretty well reknowned mountain bike trails. Failing that, it has normal trails through the Galloway Forest Park which we used to frequently cycle when we were little.


Pretty much everywhere was shut, but we managed to hire mountain bikes at Kirroghtree on new Years Eve and all went on the green trail, then the girls decided they'd had anough so me and the boy (6) on the ride along thing tackled the blue trail and had the best time ever!!! It was awesome, he said afterwards 'it was the happiest his heart had ever been!' I will of course remind him of that when he is 18, but it made me smile!

We also did some geo-caching along the queens road (I think), so visited all the other stunning places en-route escpecially the dam, which looked amazing with the fog coming down!

D&G is a lovely place the scenary is nothing short of breath-taking.

Thanks all for the help and advice, you are all very lucky to live in such a nice part of Scotland.

[Milky Bar Kid]

Thanks all for the help and advice, you are all very lucky to live in such a nice part of Scotland.

Just don't hurt yourself or anything cos it might take a very long time before you see an ambulance.....and the nearest hospital might be 50-80 miles away....:rolleyes:

But yes, it is very pretty!

[krhall]

Yeah, most of D&G seems to shut from October to Feb...

Now I have a mission should either of you D&G peeps choose to accept it. (the mission is due to the lack of open gift shops)

[JamesMio]

Go for it!

[krhall]

Thanks mate.

We normally bring back a cheesy momento from each place we visit, either a tea towel or fridge magnet but as the shops were shut we couldn't get anything...so if on your travels you see something and could pick something up that would be great and I'll send the money on.

[stewie]

I'm off to new galloway in a week or two, I could have a look out too for you if you like

[krhall]

Please mate, would really appreciate it.

[stewie]

Yeah, no worries, I'll have a look, there's a couple of places in Kirkcudbright that are always open

[krhall]

Nothing was open when we were there, that said we didn't go near the shop leading to the castle on the left hand side...

[JamesMio]

I'll see what I can do! From/for anywhere in particular?

[krhall]

Scotland would be great, but D&G even better!

Thanks.

[aarond]

If they cant manage with D & G can easily get a scotland memento, from the tourist shop round the corner.

[Milky Bar Kid]

I am sure both me and James together will manage a D+G momento!

[JamesMio]

I am sure both me and James together will manage a D+G momento!

Ahem, easy now Madame! :smt103

T-towels and magnets I can get away with.!!
;)

[Milky Bar Kid]

Tut.

[JamesMio]

:jocolor:

I've got a few ideas already, "cheesy Scottish souvenir's" are the staple diet of Gretna Green and I may be passing there at the weekend...