The Crichton – Gardens and Parkland in Dumfries
A few hours.
The route
The Crichton is a grand old estate of sandstone buildings and parkland on the south side of Dumfries, and its gardens are open to everyone, and free.
There's a rock garden, an arboretum and rose gardens, all beautifully kept, with signposted walks between them and a café on the estate for lunch. It's a gentle, unhurried morning, lovely with grandparents or a dog.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
None of ours is close by: the nearest is The Scullery in Yarrow, 39 miles away. Sleeps 2; next free Fri 13 Nov to Sun 15 Nov.
The day
The Crichton
A slow wander, mostly on easy parkland paths, through the rock garden and under the arboretum's big trees, then lunch on the estate.
About two hours
The Crichton, Dumfries
An attraction
The Crichton's 85 acres of parkland are open to the public all year round, and the grounds, the gardens and the car parks are all free. The Crichton Trust's own gardeners keep a rock garden, an arboretum and rose gardens, with plenty of open space and signposted walks between them. The Heritage Walking Routes pick out the estate's sights and take between 30 minutes and an hour; pick up a route leaflet, which has a quiz for children answered from the boards along the way. There's a Tree Trail too, and the Tree of Tranquility, a tree of remembrance in the gardens. For lunch, Crichton Central on the estate opens every day from 10am to 4pm, with hot and cold meals, cakes and a veranda outside. Dogs are welcome in the grounds, in the café and on its veranda. It's busiest with runners on Saturday mornings, during the Crichton Park Run.
If it rains
The gardens are outdoors, but Crichton Central is close by for a warm lunch out of the rain.
Where to stay
Photographs by Jelly Moring and Gladys Somanje via Google