location

The Nith Hotel, Glencaple, Dumfries and Galloway

The Nith Hotel is set in a stunning location in Dumfries and Galloway, South West Scotland! Overlooking the tidal River Nith which flows into the Solway Firth, The Nith Hotel nestles in the heart of Glencaple village, opposite its historic Quay. With wonderful views over the river towards the unmistakable peak of Criffel, and the sight of migratory geese and the sound of skylarks, you are surrounded by a very special landscape indeed.

With the historic market town of Dumfries just 5 miles to the North and following the low road to Annan, via the Brow Well where Robbie Burns drank, and Ruthwell with the TSB Museum and Ruthwell Cross and the Devil’s Porridge Exhibition to the world-famous wedding destination, Gretna and Gretna Green to the East, you are not short of choice for things to do within a short distance of the Nith Hotel!

Caerlaverock

Caerlaverock Castle

Surrounding Glencaple, the wider area of Caerlaverock offers the magnificent Caerlaverock Castle and Tearoom just 4 miles South of Glencaple. The ancient castle is on the Solway Coast Heritage Trail and is the scene of two famous sieges. This unique, triangular moated castle has a children’s adventure park, model siege engine and a nature trail in the grounds. The fairy tale medieval fortress also has wonderful walks through the woods in the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve [NNR] which also houses WWT Caerlaverock. After exploring, the Tearoom is a good place to reflect!

WWT Caerlaverock

WWT Caerlaverock – the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust visited by the Springwatch team – lies only 5 miles south of Glencaple. The area is famed for the spectacular flights of thousands of barnacle geese and the sight of migratory whooper swans who choose to spend the autumn and winter here, while you can hear natterjack toads and beautiful bird song in the spring and watch osprey nesting in summer. You can’t fail to be impressed by the multitude and variety of wildlife on a visit to the WWT and surrounding area which can be viewed from their hides and observation towers.

Wardlaw Hill

Wardlaw, an iron age hill fort and Roman camp on the Merlin Trail can be seen for miles around. Steeped in history, it has magnificent panoramic views reaching across the Solway to the Lake District mountains on a clear day! It is just a short walk from Caerlaverock Castle.

Caerlaverock Churchyard

Caerlaverock Churchyard is 2 miles east of the Nith Hotel, over the Quay Hill, and on the new ‘Pilgrim Trail’. It houses several intriguing and famous grave stones, including Walter Scott’s Old Mortality, while the Isle Tower nearby has stood since the 1560s (watch out for the cows!).

Dumfries

The traditional market town of Dumfries is just 5 miles to the north and is a lovely town for shopping and a plethora of things to see and do in Dumfries. You’ll find that Dumfries is famed for its connections with Robbie Burns who spent his last years here, and the birth of Peter Pan through author JM Barrie. The River Nith runs through the town, and is spanned by several bridges. Of particular interest to the budding historian is the Devorgilla Bridge which is the oldest standing stone bridge in Scotland which is still in use! Interestingly, it is named after Devorgilla, Lady of Galloway, the mother of King John Balliol. You will also find many other historic buildings, lovely parks gardens and art galleries. So Glencaple is ideally situated as a base for your stay.

Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura

A treasure house of history in Dumfries & Galloway, Dumfries Museum tells the story of the land and people of the region. Part of the museum, the Camera Obscura is housed in an old windmill tower. Having been installed in 1836, the camera obscura is set on the top floor of the windmill. From it you can see a fascinating panoramic view of Dumfries and the surrounding countryside.

Robert Burns Centre

Situated in Dumfries town’s eighteenth century watermill on the west bank of the River Nith, the Robert Burns Centre tells the story of Robert Burns’ last years spent in the bustling streets and lively atmosphere of Dumfries in the late eighteenth century! Why not enjoy a film at the Robert Burns Film Theatre?

local activities

Golfing

The dramatic coastline and rolling landscape of South West Scotland is ideal for  Golfing in Dumfries and Galloway.  You are spoiled for choice as golfer visiting Dumfriesshire as the region boasts many excellent golf courses! As many of these golf courses lie within a short drive from the Nith Hotel, we are the perfect location from which to base your golfing holiday in Dumfries & Galloway.

Bird Watching

The Nith Hotel is a perfect spot to stay and visit one of the many centres in the area to see what birds you can spot, you don’t need to go far you can even do some bird watching at breakfast or with your evening meal with the main dinning room overlooking the Beautiful River Nith.

Fishing

There are plenty of lochs and rivers for you to choose from when planning your Fishing trip in Dumfries and Galloway. Fishing is very popular in the Dumfries area, in fact rod fishing is permitted off Glencaple Quay End. You’ll find The Auld Quay right outside the Nith hotel door!
You are most likely to catch flounders or eels here, so why not have a shot at flounder tramping in the River Nith? If you prefer, you can sit back and relax in the comfortable surroundings of the Nith Hotel whilst watching the local men Haaf Netting for Salmon. You might even be lucky enough to witness the bore tide ripping up the River Nith at five knots or more!

Mountain Biking/Cycling

We often have cyclists staying at The Nith Hotel, as we lie directly on the National Cycle Route 7. This infamous route links Inverness to Sunderland. The 601 mile route forms two-thirds of the famous Sea to Sea or Coast to Coast (C2C) cycle route.  It then heads north to Glasgow via Glen Trool Forest and the Ayrshire coast. After that, the route passes through two National Parks – Loch Lomond & The Trossachs and Cairngorms.  You’ll find us the perfect place to unwind after a hard days pedalling!There is lots of locations in Dumfries and Galloway for an adrenalin boost with the 7 Stanes Trails mountainbiking7stanes. We have a secure garage for your bikes and can provide packed lunches on request.

Good centre for exploring the nature reserves and coasts of Dumfries

“Never been before but hopefully we will be back. We had room 4 – great views over the River Nith – be warned there are no lifts. Very comfortable, clean and spacious.”

“Our evening meal was very good, suggest you book in advance at weekends as it is very popular with locals. I had a haggis starter, followed by surf-n-turf no room for sweet. Steak just as I requested and prawns were succulent. Good range of wines but not over priced.”

“We had a full breakfast – filling and fresh cooked.”

“All the meats come from their own family butcher – guaranteed standards.”

“It is only 15-minutes from Caerlaverock castle and WWT also Dumfries town is only about 6-miles north.“

For an idea of everything that goes on locally, view the Caerlaverock Community Association website, with lots of information on the local area, Events and What’s On locally and lots of other interesting articles.

Click the button below for more photos showing off our stunning area, or scroll down for an Interactive Map: