Planning Your Time

Dumfries is one of the biggest, most intriguing towns of the region; it's a good base for seeing nearby sights like Caerlaverock Castle (9 mi away), Threave Gardens (20 mi away), and Sweetheart Abbey (8 mi away).

Another good place to seek accommodations is Kirkcudbright, midway between Dumfries and western towns like Newton Stewart, Portpatrick, and Glen Trool (where you will not find as many lodging options). It's 25 mi from Kirkcudbright to Newton Stewart, and another 10 mi to Glen Trool. Three days should be ample time to comfortably explore this area.

From Glen Trool it's a scenic three-hour drive to Jedburgh, and another 13 mi to Melrose Abbey. Two days in Jedburgh and Melrose (with a detour to Abbotsford House) is plenty of time. It's 36 mi from Jedburgh to Peebles, where you can finish up your journey with a long afternoon of shopping.