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| Trail Map |
| Viewing Areas |
| Info Points |
| Kite Facts |
| Trail History |
| Places to Stay, Eat & Enjoy |
| Contact |
| Partners |
| Links |
| Audio Trail Guide |
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Trail History
The Galloway Kite Trail was created in 2003 by RSPB Scotland in partnership with Forestry Commission Scotland and Anne Johnstone of Bellymack Hill Farm.
In April 2007 the Sulwath Connections Landscape Partnership Project went live bringing in a new and very welcome grant of over £165,000 through a partnership between The Heritage Lottery Fund, RSPB, Dumfries & Galloway Council and Scottish Natural Heritage. The grant has been used to fund a full time Galloway Kite Trail Community Liaison Officer for three years; it has also funded the creation of new information points and interpretation in villages around the trail; and the creation of an audio guide and leaflet. It is only through this partnership approach with local communities and businesses that the Galloway Kite Trail has been able to go from strength to strength.
Initial funding was provided by Making Tracks, (a post Foot & Mouth Disease recovery grant scheme administered by Dumfries & Galloway Tourist Board) SNH, RSPB Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland, Dumfries & Galloway Raptor Study Group and the participating businesses on the trail. This helped get the Kite Trail off the ground, funding interpretation in business outlets, production of a leaflet and building good links between the Trail and local community.
The initial businesses associated with the trail included three hotels, two public houses, one Guesthouse, one Holiday Park and one Holiday Cottage business. The trail was officially launched at Mossdale on 6th October 2003 by Sarah Boyack, Chairman of the Scottish Parliament’s Environment Committee.
The trail is an anticlockwise route of some twenty four miles around Loch Ken (winter) with an additional fourteen miles of forest drive (summer only). Being out on a bike is a great way to spot red kites and for the energetic, it’s a reasonably level route, with cycle racks provided at Boat O Rhone, New Galloway and Mossdale. The west side of Loch Ken is particularly quiet and attractive for cyclists.
There are six outdoor viewing points with interpretation boards; nine walks,(including a short path to feeding station); four hides; one feeding station; one visitor centre with CCTV screen, (summer only); eleven unique information boards in business premises around Loch Ken and Castle Douglas; road signs and two red kite sculptures, (at Parton and Mossdale). Four information shelters have been built around the trail and at Castle Douglas to provide information on the Trail, red kites and other aspects about the local area.
The trail was launched at Mossdale on 6th October 2003 by Sarah Boyack, Chairman of the Scottish Parliament’s Environment Committee.
The businesses associated with the trail include four hotels, three public houses, three guesthouses, one Holiday Park and one Holiday Cottage, one tea room, two shops, three art/heritage centres, two outdoor activity centres, one horse riding centre and four visitor centres for other attractions
The trail was featured (by Derwent May) in Times Travel Supplement, BBC TV News, BBC Landward, BBC Nature’s Calendar, Border TV (on numerous occasions), Scottish Bird News, Birdwatching Magazine, Irish Times, Scots magazine, Countryman magazine, BBC Radio Scotland Out of Doors (on various dates), various other TV and radio programmes and other publications.
In April 2007 the Sulwath Connections Landscape Partnership Project went live bringing in a new and very welcome grant of over £165,000 through a partnership between The Heritage Lottery Fund, RSPB, Dumfries & Galloway Council and Scottish Natural Heritage. The grant has been used to fund a full time Galloway Kite Trail Community Liaison Officer for three years; it has also funded the creation of new information points and interpretation in villages around the trail; and the creation of an audio guide and leaflet. It is only through this partnership approach with local communities and businesses that the Galloway Kite Trail has been able to go from strength to strength.
Initial funding was provided by Making Tracks, (a post Foot & Mouth Disease recovery grant scheme administered by Dumfries & Galloway Tourist Board) SNH, RSPB Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland, Dumfries & Galloway Raptor Study Group and the participating businesses on the trail. This helped get the Kite Trail off the ground, funding interpretation in business outlets, production of a leaflet and building good links between the Trail and local community.
The initial businesses associated with the trail included three hotels, two public houses, one Guesthouse, one Holiday Park and one Holiday Cottage business. The trail was officially launched at Mossdale on 6th October 2003 by Sarah Boyack, Chairman of the Scottish Parliament’s Environment Committee.
The trail is an anticlockwise route of some twenty four miles around Loch Ken (winter) with an additional fourteen miles of forest drive (summer only). Being out on a bike is a great way to spot red kites and for the energetic, it’s a reasonably level route, with cycle racks provided at Boat O Rhone, New Galloway and Mossdale. The west side of Loch Ken is particularly quiet and attractive for cyclists.
There are six outdoor viewing points with interpretation boards; nine walks,(including a short path to feeding station); four hides; one feeding station; one visitor centre with CCTV screen, (summer only); eleven unique information boards in business premises around Loch Ken and Castle Douglas; road signs and two red kite sculptures, (at Parton and Mossdale). Four information shelters have been built around the trail and at Castle Douglas to provide information on the Trail, red kites and other aspects about the local area.
The trail was launched at Mossdale on 6th October 2003 by Sarah Boyack, Chairman of the Scottish Parliament’s Environment Committee.
The businesses associated with the trail include four hotels, three public houses, three guesthouses, one Holiday Park and one Holiday Cottage, one tea room, two shops, three art/heritage centres, two outdoor activity centres, one horse riding centre and four visitor centres for other attractions
The trail was featured (by Derwent May) in Times Travel Supplement, BBC TV News, BBC Landward, BBC Nature’s Calendar, Border TV (on numerous occasions), Scottish Bird News, Birdwatching Magazine, Irish Times, Scots magazine, Countryman magazine, BBC Radio Scotland Out of Doors (on various dates), various other TV and radio programmes and other publications.
Down Load an Adobe PDF version of the Galloway Kite Trail Guide here.
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