Dumfries, South West Scotland
Created | Updated Mar 11, 2002
Dumfries residents actually beleive that their town is something slightly special, and perhaps they're right. It's a bit of a tourist town, and hitch hikers should bear this in mind. Prepare to be astounded a few (hundred) times by the following fantastic facts:
1.Dumfries was home to Robert Burns
2.Dumfries was voted best place to live in Britain
3.Robert the Bruce killed the Red Comyn in Blockbuster Video*
4.J. M. Barrie of Peter Pan fame went to Dumfries Academy (so do I)
These and many more which I have neglected to tell you so as not to spoil the surprise will be firmly drummed into you by the time you leave. Practise making a special "really? how fascinating" face for such occasions. A distinction should be made betweeen Dumfries town and Dumfries and Galloway region. The latter is more interesting and has many more historical sites to visit. Where the first bicycle was made is but one. The town itself is home to about 35000 people, and is small, but is the biggest place for miles and miles around.
People flock from the surrounding vllages to experience the thrill of the nearest you can get to a city without crossing the border into England or driving 90 miles North to Edinburgh. So what can this humble town offer you? There are a few places to stay, the Station Hotel (next to the train station) being convenient. There are lots of B and Bs but nearby places like Southerness or the surrounding countryside would be better, offering camp sites and nice little self catering cottages.
The town has just about enough shops, but not if you like shopping. There is a swimming pool, a good ice rink, athletics and other sports centres, but no 10 pin bowling or laserquest. There are two cinemas, ABC, big and single screened, and the Robert Burns, also single sreened but smaller and with more choice(Wot no popcorn?). If you're into nightclubs then the Loft just edges out the Junction as the top venue. The central museum of the area is in the town, and is surprisingly called Dumfries Museum. A big attraction of the area is it's history and this is the epicentre of all things museumy. Museums are where it's at in Dumfries and Galloway. No really. There's the Robert Burns Cenrtre, Wanlockhead mining museum and Creetown gem rock museum to name but a few. The same goes for all of Scotland and Ireland. Well, when there isn't any golden beach or thriving nightlife, or even big game, museums help bring in the Americans looking for their roots.
So that's Dumfries. Don't be worried if you don't like it. Alot of the town's own resident's think it's a dump.
1.Dumfries was home to Robert Burns
2.Dumfries was voted best place to live in Britain
3.Robert the Bruce killed the Red Comyn in Blockbuster Video*
4.J. M. Barrie of Peter Pan fame went to Dumfries Academy (so do I)
These and many more which I have neglected to tell you so as not to spoil the surprise will be firmly drummed into you by the time you leave. Practise making a special "really? how fascinating" face for such occasions. A distinction should be made betweeen Dumfries town and Dumfries and Galloway region. The latter is more interesting and has many more historical sites to visit. Where the first bicycle was made is but one. The town itself is home to about 35000 people, and is small, but is the biggest place for miles and miles around.
People flock from the surrounding vllages to experience the thrill of the nearest you can get to a city without crossing the border into England or driving 90 miles North to Edinburgh. So what can this humble town offer you? There are a few places to stay, the Station Hotel (next to the train station) being convenient. There are lots of B and Bs but nearby places like Southerness or the surrounding countryside would be better, offering camp sites and nice little self catering cottages.
The town has just about enough shops, but not if you like shopping. There is a swimming pool, a good ice rink, athletics and other sports centres, but no 10 pin bowling or laserquest. There are two cinemas, ABC, big and single screened, and the Robert Burns, also single sreened but smaller and with more choice(Wot no popcorn?). If you're into nightclubs then the Loft just edges out the Junction as the top venue. The central museum of the area is in the town, and is surprisingly called Dumfries Museum. A big attraction of the area is it's history and this is the epicentre of all things museumy. Museums are where it's at in Dumfries and Galloway. No really. There's the Robert Burns Cenrtre, Wanlockhead mining museum and Creetown gem rock museum to name but a few. The same goes for all of Scotland and Ireland. Well, when there isn't any golden beach or thriving nightlife, or even big game, museums help bring in the Americans looking for their roots.
So that's Dumfries. Don't be worried if you don't like it. Alot of the town's own resident's think it's a dump.
