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Craigadam enquiries & reservations: bookscotland@madbookings.com
Other places to stay in and around Castle Douglas
Craigadam
Country House Hotel, Dumfries Hotel, nestles in its own Estate grounds
close to the Galloway National Park, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbright and
Dalbeattie.
Craigadam provides a picturesque setting and elegant venue for your break whether it is hotel in Dumfries or a Dumfries bed and breakfast or a shooting or fishing break or for exclusive weddings.
Within easy access of the A75, Craigadam is the finest of Dumfries Hotels, it appeals to couples and guests throughout the country, who require something a little special with a lot of style and comfort.
Craigadam Accommodation
Alastair Sawday says " Craigadam is a 1703 house set in 700 acres, where pheasants strut proudly up the drive. The farmhouse becomes a 'country house' inside: a sitting room with three vast sofas and numerous chairs, a dining table that seats 26, seven rooms in the stables, three more in the house, a billiard room and an honesty bar.
Victorian Suite: Twin beds and En-suite Bathroom Thoughts of Queen Victoria come to mind in the Victorian suite when one rests on the grandfather and grandmother brass beds.
After a hard day out on the moor or in the river, this ambience reminds one of the comfort of the small cottage where Victoria and Albert relaxed away from Court and the splendours of Balmoral. May you, like Albert, enjoy the pleasure of a dram.
Chinese Suite: Twin beds and En-suite Bathroom The delicacy and sensitivity of Chinese art belies a culture as famous for fighting as for its cuisine and administrative skills. We hope that the most world-weary will find the calm of the Buddha and forget city stresses in the near-religious veneration of the hills.
Scandinavian Suite: Twin beds and En-suite Bathroom The Scandinavian bedroom recalls with its light, clean lines and simple colours, the Norse heritage that has been part of western Scotland for nearly twelve hundred years.
The hills and the lochs of Scotland recall the gentler parts of Norway and Sweden, to be enjoyed by touring from Craigadam. The beds can be used singly or locked together for a luxurious six-foot double bed.
Scottish Traditional Suite: Double bed and En-suite Galloway has seen the comings and goings of many mighty Scottish Kings and Queens, from Robert the Bruce to Mary Queen of Scots, who last slept in Galloway before sailing to England.
The tartan motif recalls the Scottish Baronial period, when Scotland rediscovered its past. We hope that you will enjoy the ambience whilst the walls guard you from the cares of the world. .
Creole Suite: Six Foot Four-Poster Bed and En-suite Bathroom The Creole bedroom brings to mind the Mardi Gras and thoughts of Jazz, but above all the calm welcome New Orleans has offered. From the window, the view of the courtyard can recall the tropics on a fine day, offering a gentle respite from the pressures of the world. The sitting room provides peace and the chance to unwind.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh Suite: Twin beds and En-suite Bathroom The Scotsman Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928) was one of the greatest designers of Art Nouveau. The Glasgow School's style affected furniture and buildings as much as art, so deserves to be remembered.
We hope you enjoy your stay here and will visit nearby Kirkcudbright, home of James Hornel and the other 'Glasgow Boys'.
Indian Suite: Twin beds and En-suite Bathroom This attractive room has its own Eastern motif and mascot in the form of its elephant. Furnishings continue this Indian theme, with a luxurious corner bath. The services are all modern, so one can watch television and sip Indian tea.
Delightful, energetic Celia pulls it all together and creates a house-party feel. The food and wines are fabulous and the lamb, venison, partridge and duck come from the family's organic farm. Retire to a themed bedroom, a deep soak and a comfortable bed."
Celia Pickup has developed game cooking at Craigadam into a true 'Taste of Scotland'. The meals are sumptuous, the desserts not for the calorie-conscious all in the setting of the wood-panelled dining room. Dumfries Hotels don't get better than Craigadam - Bed and Breakfast in Dumfries.
The oak-panelled Dining Room has a large table that is well built, the better to carry the weight of the good food and drink that it bears at formal dinners and the frequent events held at Craigadam Dumfries Hotel.
The Dining Room does have a great deal of charm of its own, and plays a great part in bed and breakfast in Dumfries for the walls and furnishings carry the pictures and mementos of generations who have lived and farmed there.
On occasion, the room has been cleared for dancing, the fine wooden parquet floor perfect as a ballroom for wedding couples and occasional ceilidhs.
Craigadam Self Catering:
Sleeping up to 8 Craigadam self-catering cottage has three twin bedrooms,
all en-suite, individually decorated to a theme - African, Florentine,
and Scottish. The cottage has a comfortable sitting/dining room with French
windows and a lovely view of the orchard.
All the rooms have comfortable chairs and television sets, so guests can relax with their favourite programs when not out in the beauties of Craigadam Estate.
The Orchard is particularly suitable for sitting out, barbecues and for children. The luxury fitted kitchen has a cooker, microwave, fridge, freezer, washing machine and dishwasher. A gas barbecue for use in the Orchard or the Courtyard is available on request.
Guests can book dinner and breakfast in the Craigadam Dining Room, and also buy home produced Craigadam organic lamb, pheasant, venison, Royal Game sausages, patés, etc. from Craigadam Country Larder. all-modern appliances.
The Cottage offers guests the opportunity to cater for themselves in one of the most pleasant homes-from-home in Dumfries and Galloway - a perfect and romantic location for those on honeymoon or for that special celebration.This self catering Dumfries Cottage offers excellent value from :-£ 300 to £ 600 per week and is available any week of the year.
Dumfries Self Catering Cottage:
. Self Catering Cottage with 3 Twin En-Suite Bedrooms.
· Sitting Room and Luxury Fitted Kitchen.
· Beside paved courtyard and orchard lawn.
· Meals can be booked at Craigadam House.
· A romantic location for honeymoons and celebration
WEDDINGS
Craigadam House, nestling in its own estate grounds near to the
Galloway National Park, provides a picturesque setting and elegant small
wedding venue in Scotland for exclusive use. Within easy access of the
A75, it appeals to couples and guests throughout the country, who require
something a little special with a lot of style on the big day.
Whether accommodating small events for a handful of people or formal functions with wedding breakfasts for up to 180 guests, every event is tailor-made for each individual couple. Craigadam's Dining Room can seat up to 40, using either the main table or a selection of round tables.
The Dining and Function Room has appealed to many brides seeking a more intimate setting than the grandeur of the Marquee.
Craigadam wedding ceremonies can be arranged within the scenic Hotel grounds or, if preferred, at the pretty church in the nearby village. Ceremonies are usually performed by the amiable local Minister, however, civil partnerships and any religious denominational requirements can be met.
Guests have exclusive use of Craigadam wedding venue Hotel on the wedding day and night or longer if desired, ensuring complete privacy and enjoyment of the amenities. There are 10 deluxe, en-suite rooms for overnight use by 20 people.
Highly qualified florists, photographers, hairdressers, masseurs, make-up artists and beauticians can either be recommended or organized to attend to couples onsite before the ceremony and celebrations. Bespoke leisure activities can also be arranged for guest participation.
After the ceremony, guests are greeted with pre-selected drinks such as champagne, sparkling wine, whisky, sherry or Elderflower cordial for non-drinkers, in tastefully decorated glasses. Depending on the formality of the event, they can enjoy their drinks straight away in the hotel, on the lawn and in the orchard or, once they have passed the Receiving Line.
As the celebrations progress, drinks continue to be served by the Hotel's bar staff.
Catering is conducted by the Hotel's award-winning culinary team and efficiently served by the Restaurant's full-time waiting staff. All food is freshly prepared and cooked onsite, using produce from local sources and Craigadam Farm.
Bespoke menus are created for each wedding breakfast and couple's can select either three or four courses, followed by coffee and home-made Tablet. Evening buffets are provided for extended parties, to which additional guests may be invited.
Craigadam House has the benefit of an extremely large courtyard, totally covered by a marquee, with a striking fountain and rockery centre-piece. Here, guests can enjoy the great food, ambience and entertainment that make Craigadam the perfect wedding venue Scotland can offer, our weddings go with a real swing.
Décor is elegant and stylish, again bespoke to client requirements. Room sets are matched to the couple's chosen colour scheme or a sophisticated star-light effect for evening events. Live bands and discos entertain guests into the small hours, on a dance floor in an impressive oak panelled function room.
Celia and the team really enjoy hosting weddings and put all their efforts into ensuring you have the perfect wedding.
Transportation Facilities
· Free Parking On-Site
· Private Parking
Activities and Attractions
Craigadam has sporting access to 25,000 acres of shooting and stalking
over farmland, moorland and woodland. Richard and Celia Pickup have together
developed a remarkably successful shooting and fishing sporting holiday
business.
Craigadam is a Scottish sporting estate. There is 25,000 acres of shooting and stalking over farmland, moorland and woodland. Richard and Celia Pickup have together developed a remarkably successful shooting and fishing holiday business around the estate. Accommodation is of a very high standard with all rooms en-suite.
Celia Pickup turns the local game into traditional meals that give visitors a chance to appreciate both Scottish cuisine and their own achievements.
There are three main kinds of bird shooting breaks Scotland on offer :-
Driven shooting breaks Scotland :
We offer driven Pheasant or Partridge days from 100 - 250 bird days. Later
in the season, the days are mixed. We normally shoot 8 guns but can accommodate
up to 10. You will enjoy a range of the best drives in South West Scotland
with high challenging birds in varied terrain.
Shooting Syndicate spaces are available, if you fancy having a regular spot on a new shooting Syndicate then we are starting a new one, check with us for the dates that you are happy with.
Rough shooting in Scotland:
The main species available are Red-Legged Partridge, Pheasant,
Duck (Mallard, Teal and Widgeon), Woodcock, Snipe, Wood Pigeon and Rabbits.
Mixed bags and varied targets and terrain, make every day a unique challenge under the guidance of Craigadam Head Keeper Gordon Aitchison and his team.
Wildfowling shooting in Scotland:
Greylag and Pinkfoot Geese, flighting during early morning. Evening Duck
flighting on rivers and fed ponds.
Good traditional shooting requires spectacular terrain, high and fast
birds, easy access to pegs and planning to suit all skill levels.
Craigadam and Gelston Castle tick all the boxes. Richard Pickup owns
Craigadam and runs Gelston shooting, and is able to provide up to 5 days
back-to-back shooting when required. Richard hosts all the days personally.
12,000 acres of mostly south facing drives with views over the Solway
Firth and Almoness Peninsular.
Craigadam has game crops, loose gullies, bracken banks and small woods which are all well roaded; well known drives include the Kings Chair, Crofts Quarry, Jean Dunns Wood and Fiddle Wood. Gelston Castle have mainly high rises, Almoness High Stand, Keys Hill, and Larches to name a few, with exceptionally good pheasants.
The Almoness peninsular driver out over the Solway shore with superb partridge drives.
Craigadam offers excellent opportunities for Roe Deer Stalking, for experienced and novice stalkers. Estate rifles can be hired. Some 100 Bucks are taken every year and a similar number of does. All stalkers are accompanied by experienced guides, and there is the capacity for up to 5 rifles to be out at any one time.
The Roebuck season is from the 1st April to the 20th of October. In the summer Roebuck season the duration of the stalks is 4 to 5 hours in the morning and 2 to 3 hours in the evening. Winter stalking of does is during the day.
About Roe Deer Stalking and Hunting:
The last Bear and the last Wolf in Scotland were killed several hundred
years ago. Since that time, the Red, Roe and Fallow Deer, have had no
other predator other than the human race. This has led in some areas to
the numbers of deer reaching unsustainable numbers. Their foraging has
stripped the surface of vegetation, so increasing erosion and other environmental
damage.
Deer are also a serious problem for forestry; the restoration of the ancient Scottish Pine forests has been hampered by deer eating the recently-planted trees. This is in addition to the losses to plantation larch and spruce needed for sustainable timber production.
Foresters and Countryside Rangers now routinely cull deer in National Parks and National Nature Reserves such as the Cairngorms, to prevent erosion and to maintain the health of the deer population. This also produces a wild harvest of deer-meat (venison) whose sale helps finance the rural population.
Richard Pickup is recognized for training visitors to the high standards of markmanship of the British Deer Society Certificates. The emphasis at Craigadam is on the traditional skills of stalking and woodcraft, with the deer killed with one shot in seconds.
Craigadam offers an excellent variety of fishing breaks and fishing holidays in Dumfries:-
Game Fishing breaks:
Craigadam has access to two miles of the River Nith. The estate also has
a beat on the River Cairn for Salmon and Sea-trout, as well as a trout-loch
at Craigadam itself. For the more energetic, there are hill-lochs nearby
holding wild Brown Trout. For a change, try guided night-time Sea-Trout
fishing on the Nith.
The Craigadam trout loch offers Rainbow Trout of up to 6 lb. weight. Why not catch a trout and have it superbly cooked for breakfast ?
For those wishing to learn or perfect their casting, Craigadam offers personal tuition in Speycasting and Overhead Casting, also Fly-Tying.
Coarse Fishing breaks:
Many local lochs close to the main estate are blessed with great quantities
of Pike, Roach and Perch.
Craigadam Country House is located outside Dumfries. It is set in a rural location surrounded by the beautiful estate countryside of rolling hills, lochs and streams. There are many local walks where you can explore the lovely scenery.
Distance from main cities:
55 Miles East of Stranraer Ferry Port from Ireland
85 Miles South of Edinburgh and Glasgow
45 Miles West of Carlisle
90 Miles West of Newcastle
Places of interest
In Dumfries & Galloway we feel privileged to be living amidst some
of the most beautiful landscapes in Scotland.
Over 200 miles of coastline, rolling hills, moorland, forest, mountain
and river - these contrasting landscapes of unspoilt beauty make enjoying
the outdoors a pleasure whatever the weather.
Explore the Galloway Forest Park, the largest forest park in Britain covering over 300 square miles of spectacular forest, moorland and lochs rising towards the rugged grandeur of the granite mountains. The Galloway Forest Park is teeming with wildlife.
The red deer range, wild goat park, red squirrel feeding stations increase your chances of getting up close to nature. Birds of prey also make the forest their home, with buzzards a common sight, golden eagles more elusive and rare red kites, successfully introduced to the region in 2001. Follow the Red Kite Trail and visit the Feeding Station.
Quiet sandy beaches, genuine warm welcomes, top class attractions and activities that make the most of the natural beauty surrounding them.
Glorious gardens that bask in the balmy air of the Gulf Stream, nature reserves, forest walks and cliff top views of swooping seabirds and castles to dream of..
Revel in a meander around Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway's Food Town with its family owned butchers, bakers and delicatessens and savour the delicious flavours!
Get arty in Kirkcudbright, The Artists' Town with a fascinating artistic heritage and a thriving artists community today. Check out the best of Scottish Painting at the Summer Exhibition - 'Home Again' featuring paintings by artists associated with Kirkcudbright, at the Town Hall and visit The Tolbooth for an intriguing insight.
Join in the Kirkcudbright Summer Festivities, with Children's Festival, Medieval Fayre, parade day and Scottish nights each Thursday, culminating in the fabulous Tattoo in the shadow of the castle.
Visit one of our many agricultural shows, or country fairs for an insight into country life, or take time out to enjoy traditional galas and festivals in our towns and villages throughout the region.
New Abbey
At the heart of this spectacular village is Sweetheart Abbey, a ruin that
was once the centre of Christianity in Scotland. It was where Dervogilla,
wife of John Balliol King of Scotland (and founder of Balliol College
Oxford) she lost her husband but kept his heart close to her at all time's
in a casket.
She was finally buried here with the casket. It is truly a romantic location and is often used for weddings. Thyere is a lovely tearoom next door.
Castle Douglas
Castle Douglas is a small town situated near the centre of Dumfries and
Galloway, an ideal base for exploring the region. The town has an interesting
history, especially that of Threave Castle, the stronghold of the Black
Douglases.
Castle Douglas has recently been launched as a Food Town and visitors can enjoy a variety of foods in Castle Douglas, whether Eating Out or merely buying quality food products.
Dumfries
Dumfries is the largest town in Dumfries and Galloway. Situated on the
banks of the River Nith, Dumfries plays host to a wide variety of activities
and attractions. Historically, Dumfries was at one time, home to Robert
Burns who is buried at St Michaels. J.M. Barrie was educated in Dumfries
and Robert the Bruce killed the Red Comyn on the steps of Greyfriars Church
in the town.
Dumfries has a busy town centre with many well-known high street stores as well as small local shops. In summer, there's always plenty to inspire you to get out and about. Enliven your break and join the locals at a host of events and festivals..
Craigadam Estate
Our own estate offers a variety of walks, varying from an amble round
the gardens to longer circular walks that encompass woodland, lochs, open
moorland and quiet bye ways.
Threave Castle and Gardens Circular Walk
This is a walk created by The National Trust for Scotland between Threave
Gardens and Threave Castle. Part of the walk runs along a dissused railway
line, some of it runs around a new woodland and the section extending
to the castle is wheelchair friendly.
DIRECTIONS
Getting there from the Information Centre:
From Castle Douglas go 8 miles east on the A75 to Crocketford. In the
village turn left onto the A712. Go 2 miles and Craigadam is a white house
on a hill on the right.
Getting There by Railway:
From Dumfries Station travel west on A75 towards Castle Douglas. In Crocketford
turn right on A712, go 2 miles and Craigadam is on a hill on the right.
Getting there by Aeroplane:
From Glasgow Airport go South on A74, take Dumfries turn off A701. At
Dumfries take A75 to Castle Douglas, after 10 miles you come to Crocketford,
take A712 North go 2 miles and you will see a white house on a hill on
the right. This is Craigadam.
From Edinburgh Airport follow signs for Carlise and Biggar A702, when you join A74 take Dumfries turn off A701, at Dumfries take A75 to Castle Douglas,after 10 miles you come to Crocketford, take A712 North go 2 miles and you will see a white house.
Getting There by Ferry:
From Stranraer, we are eight miles east of Castle Douglas on the A712.
Email Craigadam enquiries & reservations: bookscotland@madbookings.com
