GCS

Galloway Conservation Society

Cairnholy II Chambered Cairn

We are a registered charity in Scotland (Galloway Conservation Society, Charity Number: SCO21787)

This is our mission statement:

We are about Galloway and the region as a whole;- its character, history, natural resources and beauty. We aim to encourage the conservation, development and improvement of features of general amenity, landscape, cultural heritage, natural heritage, gardens and historical interest. We aim to encourage high standards of architecture and town and country planning in the region.

In our view, South West Scotland offers a distinctive and unique combination of long-established cultural landscapes and backdrops of wilder land, reached into at intervals by the sea. Verdant green drumlin pasture lands contoured by dry stone walls are so often seen across estuaries and against more remote hills, moors and forest, punctuated at intervals by white-painted farms and villages, or old estate woodlands. A spine of higher hills runs through the region, but it is not predominantly a highland landscape, having in many areas a distinctively open and spacious rural character.

There are now many pressures on the fabric of rural life and on the rural economy. These pressures impact on the Society’s main concerns in many ways. We see it as part of our mission to respond to some of this change, through appropriate democratic means, to listen and to reflect. Rather than outright opposition in every case, the Society prefers to try to adopt a middle path, which seeks to avoid unnecessary damage to regional assets where that damage can be avoided.

In our response to change, we also cherish our independence.

Welcome

Known as the Galloway Preservation Society until October last year, we aim to provide at least six events per year. These are sometimes talks, at Gatehouse of Fleet or Castle Douglas for example, but more often they are meetings in the field or at museums, or other locations. The details this year are given below or on the Events page. All are welcome, either non-members or society members. You can become a member at events or by using the Joining Us page, or pay a small fee (£5) for individual events, as a non-member. For further details on events, you can contact the Secretary via email, as given on the Joining Us page.

A Galloway National Park RIP

It is with considerable regret that we have learned of the Scottish Government’s decision not to proceed with this project. In our view this is a significant lost opportunity, which will leave the region poorer and less valued, and more open to less appropriate development. We recognise that important factors have lain behind this decision, including issues over greater bureaucracy and conflicts over the future of farming. The latter point will not disappear however, and the decision will not reduce the temperature of debates surrounding the future of our landscapes.

Latest Updates

GCS Programme For 2025

  • AGM and Newton Stewart Museum Visit

    April 3rd

    Lunch in Newton Stewart at 1pm (Creebridge House Hotel) followed by the AGM at the hotel at 1.45pm, and conversations afterwards in the Newton Stewart Museum at c.2.30pm, on the subject of “Remembering Helen Drew”. Tea will be available at the Museum..

    Those wishing to attend the lunch and AGM are advised to pre-order their lunch, via the Chairperson’s email: a.buckoke1952@btinternet.com. The pre-order will be sent to the Hotel about 7 days before the event. The main menu items would be Haddock and Chips, Steak Pie and Mash, or Soup and Sandwiches. A fuller menu can be sent via the email above, for those who wish to be more discriminating.

    Organiser: Various.

  • Visit to Kidsdale Farm, Whithorn

    Thursday May 15th, 2pm

    Farm Visit to Kidsdale Farm, Whithorn. This is mainly an arable farm, and the Farmer has agreed to show us around the farm and the various facets of agriculture that are engaged in. All access will be by car on farm roads, with no significant walking involved. There is a possible option to meet at the Steam Packet Inn at the Isle of Whithorn for lunch at 1pm, to be followed by the farm visit at 2pm, meeting at the St Ninian’s Cave Beach car park (St Ninian’s Cave is signposted on the Monreith to Isle of Whithorn road, past the Whithorn turn off at Glasserton). For those interested, there would be an option to walk down to the atmospheric St Ninian’s Cave Beach after the farm visit.

    Organiser: Alistair Buckoke

  • Visit to Rainton Farm, Gatehouse of Fleet

    Rescheduled to Thursday 31st July, 2pm

    Afternoon farm visit to Rainton Farm, Gatehouse. This is a dairy farm, run along traditional lines, and the visit is an opportunity to learn about dairy farm practice and something about the future of this farming sector, in contrast to the arable context of the Kidsdale Farm visit. Tea would be offered.


    Directions: Travelling East on the Gatehouse bypass turn right onto the Sandgreen road and then left after a couple of miles, heading towards the former Cream o’Galloway.  Travelling west (on the A75) turn left onto the Sandgreen road and then left again. GCS signs will be put up at the farm road end.

    Organiser: Alistair Buckoke

  • Visit to New Abbey Corn Mill and Sweetheart Abbey

    Thursday 3rd July, 1pm

    Visit to New Abbey Corn Mill and Sweetheart Abbey, meeting at 1pm for lunch at the Sweetheart Abbey Cafe. This event may depend on what is available at these venues on the dates suggested. For those interested, a walk in Shambellie Woods afterwards would be an option.

    Details to be confirmed in due course.

    Organiser: Various

  • Boat Trip to Ailsa Craig

    Thursday August 7th, cancelled

    Owing to unforeseen circumstances, the proposed boat trip to Ailsa Craig has been cancelled this year. This would set out from Girvan harbour at c.10.00am, and the aim was to get out to the Craig, land on the island, and have a picnic lunch there. The visit could have included a walk to the top of the Craig, and a possible visit to the curling stone quarry area.

    This can be a magical trip, but is dependent on the weather and on the availability of a suitable vessel.

    The encouraging response to the planned trip suggests that we should try to offer it again next year.

    Organiser: Alistair Buckoke

  • Visit to Barony Chapel, Dalswinton, Dalswinton House and the Queensberry Marbles at Durisdeer Church

    Friday 12th September

    Firstly we will visit the ‘flat pack’ Dalswinton Barony Church, at 10.30am.
    It is obvious from the road, and lies less than half a mile east of Dalswinton village which you reach by turning right (heading north from Dumfries) off the A76 to Auldgirth, and following your nose for 2.5 miles.

    Secondly, we will visit Dalswinton House just after 11am, by kind permission of the Owner, where we will learn about the history of the house and the estate.

    Lunch (indicative price £10-20pp) will be at Thomas Tosh, 19 East Morton Street, Thornhill DG3 5LZ which is fifteen minutes drive further up the A76. Turn right at the Thornhill Cross and it’s on the right.  We shall leave Dalswinton just after 12.30.

    Thirdly, after lunch, we will visit Durisdeer Parish Church with its unexpectedly grand Marbles.  It lies between 5 and 6 miles from Thornhill, which will take us not much longer than 10 minutes. I suggest meeting there at 2.30pm or shortly afterwards.

    Organiser: Jane Maitland

  • Roman Carlisle

    Thursday October 9th

    Roman Carlisle trip, postponed from 2024. This would mean getting to Tullie House by 11.30am, followed by a talk on Roman Carlisle by museum staff, a walk around the Museum galleries, Lunch at either the Cathedral Cafe nearby or Tullie House itself, and an afternoon walk around parts of the City where former Roman presence can be identified (there is a lot to look at). An idea of taking the train from Dumfries has been discussed, though some may wish to car-share. Car parking around the N side of the City Centre (reasonably near Tullie House) is plentiful.

    Organiser: Tullie House, Alistair Buckoke

  • Extra Event Space

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