Relaxation - New Abbey is the perfect place to unwind. The village is surrounded by beautiful countryside offering great walking opportunities. Like the steep climb to the nearby Waterloo Monument. Once you reach the tower you can climb the internal staircase and will be rewarded by a panoramic view.
Kids - The area is a safe and welcoming environment for families with long, safe, sandy beaches offering the perfect place to build sandy castles and enjoy one of the best climates in Scotland.
New Abbey is also just three miles from Mabie Farm Park, one of the biggest family attractions in southwest Scotland. It features a quad bike course and boating pond along with pony rides and the chance to see a wide variety of friendly animals close up.
A little further away, Cream of Galloway is one of Scotland's biggest selling organic ice cream brands. Families can watch the manufacturing process and enjoy a specially built adventure playground before sampling the product.
Sport - The area is great golfing country with 20 courses within a 30-minute drive. Horse riding and pony trekking are also available nearby. Hillwalkers can choose from gentle rolling hills or some of the most demanding summits in the south of Scotland. The Solway coast is also a mecca for sailors with Kippford the focus for local yachting. In recent years, Galloway has become one of Britain’s top destinations for mountain biking.
Nearby Galloway Forest has 2600km of waymarked cycle trails.
Bikes are available to hire at the entrance to the forest.
Bird Watching - This area is a favourite with ornithologists offering terrific opportunities for spotting rare breeds at sites owned by the RSPB and the Wetlands Trust.
History - The area around New Abbey is rich in local history. Sweetheart Abbey was built by Cistercian monks in the 13th century and is the final resting place of Lady Devorgilla who is buried in the grounds alongside her husband's heart. The village also features a traditional water wheel at the New Abbey Corn Mill, now restored to full working order by Historic Scotland who have daily demonsrations.
Shambellie House, situated within beautiful Shambellie Forest and within walking distance of the village, contains a costume museum and tea room, run by the National Museums for Scotland. They also feature regular family event days and workshops for children.
Just a few miles along the A701, Kirkbean was the birthplace of John Paul Jones, the founder of the American Navy. From the coast, many Scots and Irish emigrants sailed on ships to new lives in America.
Food - Fresh organic eggs can be bought from Mrs McMinn at neighbouring Ingleston Farm. It's a short drive to the delightful village of Beeswing, where Locharthur Farm has a fully stocked shop of their own organic vegetable, dairy and bakery products.
Nearby Castle Douglas stages an annual food festival celebrating top-quality local produce. Galloway beef is renowned but the area also produces lamb, prawns, salmon, honey, top quality local cheeses and wonderful ales from the Sulwath Brewery, which supplies beer as far away as Devon.
