Dock Park – Playground, River and a Hot Chocolate
A few hours, from Dumfries station and back.
The route
Dock Park is Dumfries's big riverside park, stretching along the Nith under willows and old trees, and it's a lovely place for a morning with young children.
There's a playground to wear them out, lawns to run on and the river sliding past, and in season mini golf and trampolines too. Finish with a hot chocolate among the books at a café in the town centre.
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, 38 miles away. Sleeps 2; next free Fri 13 Nov to Sun 15 Nov.
The day
Dumfries
A morning by the river for small children, with swings and slides in a big park beside the Nith and plenty of grass to run on. Then a short walk up into town for a hot chocolate.
About three hours
Dock Park
It's about 20 minutes' walk from Dumfries station down through the town to Dock Park, or park free in the council's Dockhead car park beside it. The park runs along the east bank of the River Nith below St Michael's Bridge, with wide lawns, big old trees and a path right beside the water. The children's playground is the place to start. The mini golf, putting and trampolines are seasonal: in October they open at weekends from 11am to 5pm, and every day from 10 to 30 October, weather allowing, at £1.70 a child at the time of writing. The park's own café, The Hut, is open all year round, and the public toilets in the park open from 9am to 3.30pm from October to March. The river runs right beside the path, so keep little ones close.
9 min on foot
Kings Coffee and Books
A drink
Then it's 9 minutes' walk up into the town centre for a hot chocolate at Kings Coffee and Books on Queensberry Street, a café and bookshop in one, with shelves of books to browse. It serves coffee, hot chocolate, breakfasts, lunches, toasties and cakes, and it's open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 5pm. On a Sunday, when Kings is shut, have it at The Hut in the park instead. From Kings it's 16 minutes' walk back to the station.
If it rains
On a wet morning, cross St Michael's Bridge from the park to Dumfries Museum instead: it's free, with family activity trails, and from October to March it opens Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm. Then go on to Kings for the hot chocolate as planned.
