Why visit Kirkennan, South West Scotland in Winter?
21st December - 19th March
At Kirkennan
- Rates are at their lowest* in our 3 holiday cottages The Lodge, The Mews and Woodsedge and are all inclusive (no hidden costs like ‘winter heating supplements’).
- All the holiday accommodation has full central heating and is cozy and warm.
- Garden birds are active on the feeders, red squirrels are sometimes seen in Kirkennan gardens and the Urr river plays host to a variety of water birds.
- All the holiday accommodation has either an open fire or a wood burning stove with an initial supply of fuel provided - and the long dark evenings are a great excuse to snuggle down by a real fire to read a book or watch a movie.
- There is little light pollution so the night sky is dramatic, and the early nightfall means you don't have to stay up late to enjoy it.
- The trees have lost their leaves and show the beauty of their branches.
- From mid to late January onwards the flowers start to arrive and Kirkennan’s gardens are full of snowdrops, winter aconites, crocuses and then daffodils.
- The 3 Kirkennan fields are empty of stock from 1st December to 28th February and guests are welcome to walk across them and use them to exercise dogs.
* Except for Christmas and New Year
In South West Scotland
- Beaches and walks are quiet – you may well have them to yourselves.
- It is a great time for birdwatching as Dumfries and Galloway, South West Scotland plays host to internationally important populations of over-wintering birdlife:
- Barnacle Geese arrive from Svalbard and are particularly dramatic during their dawn and dusk flights between feeding and roosting grounds at RSPB Mersehead and WWT Caerlaverock.
- Whooper Swans mass at WWT Caerlaverock where they are fed twice daily.
- Starling murmurations can be seen. Gretna Green is reknown as a key location to see this amazing site, but murmurations can also be seen in Castle Douglas, RSPB Mersehead and Kirkcudbright.
- Greenland Whitefronts can often be found at Threave, Ken-Dee Marshes and Loch Ken and the Castle Kennedy area.
- Waders can be seen at Southerness, Carsethorn, Powfoot, Newbie, Annan and Wigtown Bay.
- It is a great time to visit The Galloway Dark Sky Park or to enjoy a Nocturnal Wildlife Experience.
- Big Burns Supper – the world’s biggest Burns’ Night celebration takes place in Dumfries in January (24th Jan - 3rd Feb in 2019).
- A number of local gardens open for Scotland’s Snowdrop Festival (end January – Mid March). For details see What's On.
- Though some historic sites and attractions close for the winter others - particularly ones that are free to enter - are open all year round and again can be very quiet. Do check opening dates and times to be sure.
