Loch Ken

Dumfries & Galloway


Stretching for 9 miles northwest of Castle Douglas between the A713 and A762, Loch Ken is a popular outdoor recreational area. The range of water sports includes windsurfing, sailing, canoeing, power-boating and kayaking. There are also walking trails and rich bird life. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has a nature reserve on the western bank, north of Glenlochar. The eastern shore is great for watching red kites.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Dumfries & Galloway attractions

1. Threave Castle

3.98 MILES

Two miles west of Castle Douglas, this impressive tower sits on a small river island. Built in the late 14th century, it became a principal stronghold of…

2. Sulwath Brewery

4.82 MILES

You can see traditional brewing processes at this main-street alemaker's. Tours, which include a pint, only run twice a week, at 1pm on Monday and Friday …

3. Mill on the Fleet

10.29 MILES

In the centre of town, in a converted 18th-century cotton mill, this centre has an exhibition on the history of the local industry and environment. The…

4. MacLellan's Castle

10.81 MILES

Near the harbour, this is a large, atmospheric ruin built in 1577 by Thomas MacLellan, then provost of Kirkcudbright, as his town residence. Inside, look…

5. Broughton House

10.86 MILES

The 18th-century Broughton House displays paintings by EA Hornel, one of the Glasgow Boys (he lived and worked here). The library, with its wood panelling…

6. Kirkcudbright Galleries

10.87 MILES

This new conversion of the town hall into a shiny new gallery opened just after we last passed by. There's a permanent exhibition on this town's artistic…

7. Stewartry Museum

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There's a certain charm to this higgledy-piggledy old-fashioned local history museum. There's everything from coronation teacups to lumps of local granite…

8. Tolbooth Art Centre

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As well as catering for today's local artists and holding a cinema, this centre has an exhibition on the history of the town's artistic development. The…

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