Below are some suggestions that are close to Criffel Cottage some of which can be done without the car
Explore within 0-15 minutes drive
Local walk – Ruthwell / Clarancefield: this could include a stop at The Ruthwell Cross, The Savings Bank Museum and Brow Well (Robert Burns history), the coastal path (NNR) and The Farmers Inn.
Local walk – Powfoot / Solway Firth / Cummertrees: this could include a stop at The Sandpiper Cafe bar, or the Del Amitri Restaurant at the Powfoot hotel, or Powfoot golf club
Annan area: Annan Museum, Annan Distillery, Annandale way (walk)
Caerlaverock Castle A wide moat, twin-towered gatehouse and lofty battlements make Caerlaverock the epitome of the medieval stronghold. Learn all about its turbulent history as a castle caught up in border conflicts.
Drummuir Farm: offer a range of delicious and unique flavours of ice cream, all made on site with the freshest ingredients.
Wildlife watching: Anywhere along the Solway Firth but especially Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve & Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Caerlaverock
Lochmaben Castle was an important outpost in hostile territory for the English, and they made tremendous efforts to keep it in their possession throughout the 1300s. It withstood several sieges and attacks, before falling to the Scots in 1385. As well as the castle there are number of lochs that can be combined into the trip.
The Ruthwell Cross has been described as the most important sculptural survival of Anglo-Saxon Britain. It was carved in the early 700s, when this part of Scotland lay within the Anglian kingdom of Northumbria
Cycle in either direction on the NCN 7 right on the doorstep of Criffel Cottage
Eskrigg Nature Reserve (near Lockerbie) to see Red squirrels and other wildlife
Dalscone Farm There’s loads to do from playing on the bumper boats, riding pedal go karts, bouncing on the enormous bouncy barn, playing in the huge Sand Castle sand pit, feeding the greedy meerkats, or bottle feeding the pet lambs and flying down the super fast alpine slide!
Devils Porridge Museum tells the story of HM Factory Gretna, the greatest munitions factory on earth in World War One, where the devil’s porridge (or cordite, an explosive) was mixed. There were 30,000 workers: 12,000 of them were women. Their contribution to the war effort helped women to achieve the vote.
Golf at Powfoot golf club has a driving range and 18 hole course
The Savings Museum in 1810 Dr Henry Duncan opened the world’s first savings bank based on business principles, paying interest on its investors’ modest savings. The original Ruthwell Parish Bank is now the home of the Savings Banks Museum. It houses a collection of savings boxes, original ledgers, and banking artefacts from around the world, together with displays illustrating the remarkable life and achievements of Henry Duncan, local parish minister, social reformer, geologist, and “father” of the savings bank movement
