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Culsharg Cottage and Kelpies
Cottage are situated in Glentrool, within the UK's first
designated Dark Sky Park - with very low levels of light pollution, you
will be amazed by the incredible starry skies we see on a clear
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Glentrool is a small village (50
houses, no shops) in the heart of the
Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere. The
Biosphere designation recognises the world class environment
here, with our stunning landscapes, wildlife, and cultural
heritage, and we are proud to be part of the Biosphere
Community. |
Cycling
If you want to explore by bike,
you can experience the thrills of the
7 Stanes mountain biking trails at Glentrool, or the
slightly tougher ones Kirroughtree a 25-minute drive away.
There are trails for all ages and abilities.
There are plenty of great road
cycling routes around too, all on lovely quiet roads - direct
from the cottage you can tackle the
"Ayrshire Alps", or for a gentler ride you can
head down to the Machars and follow one of their four designated
circular cycling routes.
Our cottages are bike-friendly, with secure storage and bike
wash facilities. We have a great bike hire and repair service
here in the village itself -
Glentrool Cycleworks.
Walking
If walking or running is your
thing you won't be able to stay long enough to explore all the
trails on the doorstep - after 10 years here we are still
discovering new ones! Nearby there is the
Wood of Cree ancient woodland, the largest ancient wood in
southern Scotland.
It's beautiful all year round
but our personal favourite season is spring, when it comes alive
with incredible carpets of bluebells.
There are plenty of walks
direct from your front door ranging from 2-8 miles – see our
map. Our favourite more strenuous walks are the
Loch Trool trail (starts a 10 minute drive from the cottage)
- why not pack your swim gear
and enjoy a cooling dip on your way round too! The trail up
The Merrick, the highest summit in Southern Scotland, starts
a 15 minute drive from the cottage.
The top of this beautiful
mountain yields a stunning panorama that includes much of the
Galloway Forest as well as across to Northern Ireland and the
Isle of Man, and on a clear day the Lake District.
Seaside
If the seaside is your choice
of destination we have several beautiful, quiet and unspoiled
sandy beaches within easy reach. We love
Monreith, a 45 minute drive away, or
Girvan, around 30 minutes away.
Swimming
If you love wild swimming you
will be spoiled for choice here with lochs, rivers and beaches
to choose from.
Beth swims regularly and is
happy to recommend good spots to swim. If you're thinking about
trying open water swimming, but you're a little nervous because
you haven't done it before, you can book a 1-2-1 session in one
of our beautiful local lochs with Sarah at
Swim the Lochs who is a qualified open water swim
coach.
Places to Eat
In Glentrool Village itself
there is a community centre,
Glentrool Hive.
It hosts local arts and crafts and also offers teas, coffees,
traybakes and confectionery. There is also a café at
Glentrool Visitor Centre. It is open Easter to October; it serves drinks and cakes/sandwiches/soup etc.
Outside Glentrool itself our
personal favourites are:
Brew Ha Ha, Newton Stewart – lovely wee café for full
Scottish breakfasts, lunches and cakes. Great coffee.
The
Crown Hotel, Newton Stewart – restaurant with excellent
gluten free, dairy free and veggie/vegan options.
Oakhill Café &
Deli, Carsluith – great café with delicious fresh cooked
food, cakes and coffees.
The Hive, Garlieston – cosy café by the sea offering
delicious lunches and cakes.
Reading Lasses, Wigtown – our favourite of the many cafes in
Wigtown offering a huge selection of delicious homemade cakes
including gluten free and vegan options.
Public Transport
Stagecoach Bus number 359 runs
from Newton Stewart to Girvan and comes through the village –
find the timetable
here. Local taxis can be booked with
Mcleans on 01671 404131.
Shops
There are no shops in Glentrool.
The nearest town is Newton Stewart, 10 miles away, which has
plenty of shops for supplies including butcher, baker, chemists,
Co-op, Sainsburys and Aldi.
If you prefer your groceries delivered to your door, Asda and
Morrisons are
currently the only supermarkets that deliver to Glentrool.
