Cairn Holy Long Barrow

Cairn Holy ...

People have come to Cairn Holy (or Holy Cairn) for the past 4000 years. The setting looking south and westwards over Kirkdale Glen towards the sea seemed the right place to worship in and to bury the dead. The long barrow (Cairnholy I) and the round barrow (Cairnholy II) south of the farm, still show how people used the landscape to tie together the lives of the living with the rest of the dead. Cup and ring marked stones show how this reverence lasted into Pictish times, before Saint Ninian brought Christianity to Wigtownshire at Whithorn.

The Farmhouse

Cairnholy Old Farmhouse ...

The old farmhouse is at least 200 years old, possibly more, with indications that the 'bluestone' stonework may date back to the 1600s. There is a tradition that Cairnholy was one of the first farms to breed Belted Galloway cattle. After a new farmhouse was built, the old building fell into disuse, and was restored in the early 1980s with a jewellery workshop in the old coal store. We purchased Cairnholy in 1998 and converted it to a bed and breakfast establishment. During the conversion, a box of animal bones was found built into one of the walls. Possibly a charm to ward off evil, it showed that the older beliefs remained present at Cairn Holy into Presbyterian times.

A Home from Home...

Cairnholy Old Farmhouse has an en-suite ground floor Double Bedroom with a comfortable double divan bed; this room offers good aspects across the burn and the front gardens.
There is a Double Bedroom upstairs with, again, a comfortable double divan bed, with a view of the garden and sea views across the Cree Estuary towards the Machars.
We also have a Twin Bedroom upstairs offering sea and garden views which shares a bathroom with the Double Bedroom on that floor.
All rooms have tea and coffee making facilities. Meals are served in the dining room. The sitting room has a TV and a VCR, with plenty of books to relax with. Alternatively, on fine evenings linger in the gardens and listen to the owls.

Where to go and What to do...

Walks in the fields and nearby woods reveal a lot of wildlife at all times of the year. Cairnholy is in one of the finest wildflower and butterfly areas in Galloway. The seashore is a short drive or an easy walk away, whilst the nearby A75 makes travel easy to the hundreds of attractions within Dumfries and Galloway Region. Whether in wet weather or sunshine, there is a lot to see and to do - or you can just relax in our garden.

There are two excellent Nature Reserves within fourteen miles of Cairnholy :-
Wigtown Bay Local Nature Reserve : This area of coastal wetland is located on the eastern side of the Machars, about four miles south of Newton Stewart. It is the largest Local Nature Reserve in Britain. It serves as a bird sanctuary and has a Ranger service. Contact (Office) 01988-402401 (Mobile) 0402-212728 for the Ranger.
The Cree Valley oak woodlands above Newton Stewart, including Wood of Cree RSPB reserve and Forestry Commission reserves, contains a wealth of wildlife with many walks and visitor facilities.
Wood of Cree : Has excellent deciduous woodland and riverside grassy marshland. Rich in songbirds, owls, woodpeckers and small raptors. Steep paths. Parking beside river. Leaflets and occasional Ranger-guided events. Donations box.

For those seeking different attractions, Cairn Holy is some six miles from Gatehouse of Fleet and three miles from Creetown. :-
March : Last Week : Festival of Folk Music, Arts and Crafts - Gatehouse of Fleet.
June : Second Weekend : RSAC Scottish Rally : Around various forest roads in Galloway.
June : Third Weekend : Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival
July : Last Week : Gatehouse of Fleet Gala Week.
September : Third Weekend : Creetown Country Music Festival - the internationally-famous Country and Western event.
September : Last Week : Wigtown Book Festival
October : Beerfest & Barbecue at Cardoness Castle.

Children of all ages are welcome at the Cream o' Galloway ice cream factory and theme park near Gatehouse. The Wildlife Park at Kirkcudbright offers a wide variety of animals to look at and a good play area. For those wanting more active entertainment, there are several miles of walks at Stronord between Creetown and Newton Stewart.