Charming 200 year old Galloway cottage near Kirkcudbright

A very pretty stone-built cottage full of charm and character, Ivy Cottage dates back to the early19th century. Deceptively spacious, it nestles in a side lane in the attractive old village of Twynholm in the heart of Galloway. Only 3 miles from the harbour town of Kirkcudbright, 5 miles from Gatehouse of Fleet, and 8 miles from Castle Douglas, it is an ideal base for exploring this lovely part of Scotland.

The cottage's hillside position has made possible a delightful upside-down room layout. There are two double bedrooms downstairs (one en-suite), but the main accommodation is upstairs: a bright and spacious living area, a third double bedroom, a cosy snug or study, a stylish modern shower room, and a large and well equipped kitchen-diner with French doors leading out to a sheltered patio and garden with outside table and seating. The garden is very private and is not overlooked There is gas-fired central heating, and the living area has a wood burning stove.

There is a good fibre wi-fi connection, and there are flat screen TVs in the living area and one of the bedrooms.

The kitchen has a large gas hob, built-in oven and microwave, slow-cooker, large fridge-freezer, dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer.

Bed linen, towels, tea towels and toiletries are provided.

Easy on-street parking a few metres away.

Twynholm is an attractive traditional Galloway village on a hilly site, with interesting side lanes and an old mill lade. Centrally located in Galloway, it is only a few miles from the Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park.

There is a nice pub, the Star Hotel, in the village, which serves mealsThere is also a car repair garage which sells fuel and incorporates a small village shop. Just outside the village, in easy walking distance, is the Cocoa Bean Chocolate Factory, which is a popular tourist attraction, especially with children, and also operates as a wedding venue.

Just three miles away on the River Dee is Kirkcudbright, with its elegant Georgian architecture, historic MacLellan's Castle, museum, planetarium, shops, pubs and eating places, and active fishing harbour and yacht marina. It became famous as a centre for artists in the early 20th century, and this tradition continues to the present day.

Five miles to the west, in a beautiful situation in the Fleet Valley, is picturesque Gatehouse of Fleet, with some good hotels/eating places, and the popular Mill on the Fleet visitor centre. There are lovely walks in Castramont Wood Nature Reserve, near Gatehouse, where deer and red squirrels can be seen, with a wonderful show of bluebells in the spring.

There are delightful beaches in the area at Knockbrex, Carrick Shore and Fleet Bay, all just around six miles from Twynholm.

The main town in the area is Castle Douglas, which is known as the Region's 'Food Town' and is just ten minutes drive to the east. The long main street is lined with numerous interesting independent shops, cafes and restaurants, and the town also has two good supermarkets. The ancient Threave Castle stands on an island in the River Dee a mile or two from the town, and there is an osprey-viewing platform nearby. The famous Threave Garden a short distance away is fascinating for garden lovers, and is also a popular wedding venue.

There are also Wildlife Photography Hides nearby, and our photo gallery includes photos of kingfishers, goldfinches and a sparrowhawk, taken there by one of our guests.

Dramatic ancient standing stones can be seen at Cairnholy, near Carsluith, near Gatehouse of Fleet. They are the remains of two Neolithic burial chambers, and are about 5.000 years old.

Beautiful Loch Ken extends from just north of Castle Douglas all the way up to New Galloway, and has areas for fishing, boating and nature conservation.

Ivy Cottage is an ideal base to explore all these fascinating places.

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