Gatehouse Of Fleet hotels

Hotels in Gatehouse Of Fleet

In the middle of a National Scenic Area on the edge of the Galloway Forest Park, Gatehouse of Fleet is a pretty 18th-century Scottish town which retains its historic appearance.

The western approach to the town is dominated by the 15th-century Cardoness Castle, which has a well-preserved tower, impressive hall and excellent views from the battlements. Book one of our Gatehouse of Fleet hotels and explore this charming town and the stunning countryside around it.

Shops

The town has a good selection of independent shops. Head to The Book and Art Shop for second-hand and antiquarian books, as well as watercolours, oil paintings, etchings and prints, particularly from the 1920s and 1930s. Garvellan Books stocks around 20,000 volumes, with an emphasis on Scottish interest, art, children's books and poetry. Visit the Franca Bruno Company for bespoke jewellery made using beads and semi-precious stones, as well as Victorian-style ring boxes. At artist Richard Brinley's studio, you can admire his paintings of landscapes and seascapes around Gatehouse.

Beaches

There are four beaches at Gatehouse of Fleet, including Mossyard Shore, which has three sandy beaches, and Cardoness Shore, made up of six sandy bays. Carrick Bay is a sandy bay with shingle at the edges and easy access for surfing and canoeing. Sandgreen Bay is divided by buoys into sections for motorboats, sailing boats, windsurfers and swimmers.

Galloway Forest Park

An expanse of glens, hills, woodland, lochs, waterfalls and castles, the Galloway Forest Park is a breathtakingly beautiful place to go walking, cycling or mountain biking. Animal lovers can visit the Red Deer Range and the Wild Goat Park – look out for red squirrels, kites, otters and ospreys too. The park has been designated Scotland's first Dark Sky Park because of its clear night skies – you can see more than 7,000 stars and planets with the naked eye.

Attractions

There's fun for all the family at Cream o'Galloway, where the Finlay family make Cream o'Galloway Ice Cream and Finlay's Farmhouse Cheese. As well as sampling the products, at weekends and during school holidays you can enjoy an ice-cream tasting or tour the farm and creamery. At certain times of the year you can meet the calves and lambs. There's also a pedal cart track, an indoor play area and an adventure playground.

Cally Gardens is a perennial plant nursery within an 18th-century walled garden, which has thousands of species from across the world, and hundreds of plants on sale. Gatehouse Golf Club has a nine-hole course with views of Wigtown Bay and the peaks of the Clints of Dromore and Cairnsmore of Fleet.

Eating and drinking

For classic Scottish dishes and an impressive dessert menu, head to the Masonic Arms, a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence winner. You can eat in the dining room, by the open fire in the conservatory or in the heated beer garden. Head to Tart ‘n' Tea for homecooked lunches, cakes and scones and a riverside terrace – there's even CCTV of the river to help you watch the wildlife. Family-run Galloway Lodge Preserves has been making marmalades, jams, chutneys, jellies and mustard, including Poacher's Pickle, for 30 years. In their popular café, you can tuck into breakfast, brunch, lunch and homemade cakes, and there's a kids' menu too.