Scottish Vacations, Dumfries And Exquisite Places Worth A Visit

Dumfries, situated, on the banks of the River Nith, not that far away from the Solway Firth is, by a large amount, the biggest town in Scotland’s southwest (the population is in excess of 30 thousand people). Dumfries, in a similar way to Ayr, has a close associated with the life and times of Robert Burns.

For people wishing to take a vacation in Dumfries we have listed below information about 3 popular visitor attractions; Robert Burns House, Dundrennan Abbey and Lochmaben Castle:

Dundrennan Abbey

King David I founded Dundrennan Abbey in 1142. During this time, Scottish abbeys were usually built of a reddish sandstone, but Dundrennan Abbey was constructed of very hard-wearing, local grey sandstone. This is probably the reason why many of the unique architecural forms and mouldings have survived. The first monks to reside in the Abbey, originally come from Rievaulx, Yorkshire. Mary Queen of Scots spent her last night on Scottish soil at Dundrennan Abbey in 1568. She then found her way across the Solway Firth to Workington, and was eventually captured and imprisoned by the English. The land passed into the hands of the Crown, following the Scottish Reformation in 1587.

Lochmaben Castle

The Lochmaben Castle, that is left today, was not the first Lochmaben Castle. The first was commissioned by the Bruce family, Lords of Annandale, in the 1100’s. In 1298, King Edward I of England seized the castle, and then constructed another Lochmaben Castle in a more efficient defensive location. This second castle was finished in the beginning of the fourteenth century, leaving the old castle derelict. From 1306 to 1588, the castle was either in the hands of the English or the hands of the Scots. It was in 1588 that James VI attacked and seized the castle from the Maxwell family. The castle was eventually left derelict after the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

Robert Burns House

One of the most famous men in Scotland, Robert Burns, lived in Dumfries during the last years of his life. The home that his family and he once lived in has now become a place of pilgramge for his fans from across the globe. He died prematurely at the age of 37 years in 1796, at home. Today, one can catch a glimpse of how his family and he lived, back in the late 1700’s. The chair and desk where he sat and composed are on display, as are many of his orginal manuscripts. On display there are personal items as well, that once belonged to his family.

If you are in the process of planning to take a vacation in Scotland and you plan to spend a few days in Dumfries you may want to book your accommodation online and you will discover listings of hotels and accommodation in Dumfries at http://dumfries.hotelreservationhelper.com.