Kirkcudbright Explorer

Summary

Kirkcudbright is an attractive and fascinating small town. Known as the Artists town, it was associated with both the Glasgow Boys and the Scottish Colourists, and even today has several galleries. This short exploration takes in the historic buildings of the town centre before heading around the St Mary's Isle peninsula and climbing up into Barhill Wood.

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Rating

Terrain

Pavements, tracks and roads; sometimes muddy paths in forest plantations.

Public Transport

Bus to Kirkcudbright.

Start

Kirkcudbright car park. Open in Google Maps.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 9.5km / 6 miles
Time: 2 - 2.5 hours
Ascent: 125m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NX683510

Mapping and GPS

Install our App FREE
Download our route descriptions and use offline with GPS mapping

Want to sponsor this route?

Accommodation

Walk Description

User reports (1)

Stage 1

Start at the car park by the Tourist Information Centre in the centre of Kirkcudbright. Begin the walk by heading to the left of the information building, passing a wooden sculpture placed as a memorial to all those who have lost their lives at sea. Several boats still operate from the harbour here, and as recently as 2000, seven crew lost their lives on the Solway Harvester were lost off the Isle of Man. From the harbour bear left past the whitewashed Harbour Cottage Gallery.

Stage 2

Ahead are the substantial ruins of MacLellan's Castle, built in the 1570s. Today it is in the care of Historic Scotland and there is a charge for admission - enabling you to visit the vaults and discover the 'Laird's Lug' - a spyhole behind the fireplace where the laird once eavesdropped on his guests. The walk continues by heading to the right along Castle Bank.Look out for the often picturesque alleyways and yards throughout Kirkcudbright.

Stage 3

The road soon swings left onto High Street, lined with some fine old buildings. A signed alleyway on the right is worth a short detour to visit Kirkcudbright's marina. Otherwise, continue along High Street, passing Broughton House. This was once the home of the noted artist E A Hornel; now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, it can be visited together with its gardens. Hornel was instrumental in attracting other artists to move to Kirkcudbright and the association with the arts has continued to this day. Further on the street bends left; the building ahead on the corner is the Tolbooth - now an Arts Centre.

Stage 4

Continue along the High Street. When it meets the main St Mary's Street the walk takes the first of two excursions away from the town. Turn right along the main road, at the junction with Castledykes Road bear slightly right but cross Castledykes Road to take the track ahead, to the right of a bungalow.

Stage 5

This tarmac lane leads through attractive deciduous woodland. After 1.4km fork right onto a clear footpath through the trees. The path loops around St Mary's Isle but sadly there are only glimpses through the trees of the tidal flats beyond. Round the end of the peninsula and follow the path as it begins back up the far side. When it meets a track, turn right along it, then bear right again when a larger track is met. This leads back to the main A711 road - turn left along the pavement to return into Kirkcudbright. When back opposite the High Street where you emerged earlier, turn right onto St Mary's Place. This soon becomes Barr Hill Road and then Silvercraigs Road. Follow the road uphill, then take the third right onto Woodlands Avenue.

Stage 6

Almost immediately take a grassy path that heads uphill on the left to enter Barhill Woods (signed for the cemetery). Go straight across a forest track to reach a grassy field surrounded by the woods, passing through a pedestrian gate. In the clearing, slope uphill to the left passing a sculpted stone to reach another gate entering the upper part of the woods. Keep ahead, and at the next forest track, turn right. You are now following a waymarked trail with yellow markers. Keep right (marker) at a fork. The path climbs and then begins to descend, eventually reaching a junction. Turns left here (waymarker), but ignore a lesser path off left and continue ahead. Eventually the path swings northeast and passes a high point before descending to a junction. There's a red squirrel hide off to the right, but otherwise continue ahead to meet a minor road by a junction.

Stage 7

Turn left onto the road to begin the descent back to Kirkcudbright. Look out for some steps descending into a wooded dell on the right. A greasy path can be followed down this, crossing a footbridge. Turn left on the far side to follow an aqueduct initially, to emerge onto a grassy path and then Milburn Street. Turn left along Millburn Street, then right at the no entry sign onto Gladstone Place. A left onto St Mary's, passing the shops, and a right onto St Cuthbert Street return to the start.

Route Profile

Report error

Let us know if you've found an error in our route, or if it needs updating.

Write walk report

Share your story and photos from this route.
£150 of Highlander Outdoor gear to win every month.

Can you help support Walkhighlands?

Please consider setting up a direct debit donation to help support the continued maintenance and updates to Walkhighlands.