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Lochan of the Lost Sword

After King Robert the Bruce had been soundly defeated at the Battle of Methven in 1306, his problems were only just beginning. His small group of remaining supporters were retreating westwards through the mountains, hoping to find safety on the coast. Hopes of an easy journey were dashed when they came across a large force of MacDougall clansmen blocking the way near Crianlarich.

The MacDougalls were one of Bruce’s biggest rivals, opposing him ever since he murdered his rival to the throne John Comyn. One of the most powerful clans on the west coast, they aligned with the English instead. Bruce's depleted force was in a terrible state and a fight was the last thing they wanted, but they were left with no other option.

The Battle of Dalrigh was short and brutal with the King at the centre of the fighting. At one point, Bruce was grabbed by the cloak and barely managed to strike down his assailant as the brooch was torn from his shoulder. Now known as the Brooch of Lorn, it’s still a prized MacDougall artefact over 700 years later.

Bruce's forces knew that they had to escape, but they couldn't hope to outrun the MacDougalls whilst carrying heavy weapons. The King ordered his men to discard their swords and shields, throwing them into a nearby lochan so that they couldn’t be reused by their enemies. Having lightened their load, what was left of the King’s companions made their escape.

Even with modern metal detecting, the weapons have supposedly never been recovered. King Robert the Bruce’s large claymore may still be lying there below the water, just waiting to be found.

Words by Graeme Johncock 

Dumfries & Galloway

Spectacular walks, characterful highstreets, surprising tales from history and a thriving producers’ scene all find their place against a backdrop that features one of Britain’s loveliest coastlines and its largest Dark Sky Park.

Dumfries and Galloway is unspoiled and remote, quiet and authentic. It’s often known as ‘Scotland’s forgotten corner’, which is a compliment rather than a snub, as for those who turn left at Gretna Green, leaving the throng heading north, it’s like being given the keys to the Secret Garden. It’s a land that might have been penned by a writer, where gorse glows gold atop rugged granite coves, trees are cast horizontal by the wind on clifftops that drop onto treacherous shifting sands, black cattle with wide white belts graze in gloriously unkempt meadows, and whitewashed fishing villages bask like paperchains beside cyan waters. Flowers are as vivid as the eye can imagine – explosions of pink fuschia and orange montbretia – and the hills are huge and remote with views over lochans, rivers and wooded valleys. Such light and colour; such big skies and openness.

From its border with Ayrshire, the region climbs over the Lowther and Moffat hills, and summits southern Scotland’s highest peak, Merrick, before tumbling into the Nith Estuary with its woodland and merse. It takes in former coal mining villages and moorland and spills onto one of Britain’s most dramatic coastlines – 200 miles of it. You can see the Lakeland fells to the south; to the west, from Scotland’s southernmost point of land, the outline of Ireland is visible; and in between, there’s the Isle of Man. This proximity gave rise to smuggling in the 1700s and 1800s, and on a moody day you can imagine smugglers huddled in the coves waiting for the right tide. Some reports suggest that the majority of goods smuggled into Scotland landed on this coast.

The hub of the region is Dumfries, the ‘Queen of the South’, famed for its connection with Robert Burns, who farmed, worked, wrote and drank in the town in his final years. And then there’s historical Annan, which has strong links with Robert the Bruce; ‘Food Town’ Castle Douglas; ‘Artists’ Town’ Kirkcudbright; ‘Scotland’s National Book Town’ Wigtown; the characterful port Stranraer; and Moffat, with a lively cultural scene amid hills that have been dubbed the ‘mini Highlands’. The towns feel lived-in and warmly welcoming, places you’ll be glad to while away time in cosy surrounds.

Here are 5 places worth visiting in the area

The Devil’s Porridge, Annan

The term ‘devil’s porridge’ was coined by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle when he visited HM Factory Gretna (the largest munitions factory in the world during WW1) in 1916 and saw young women mixing a white, lumpy mixture that he thought looked like porridge. This award-winning museum close to Gretna gives fascinating insights into World Wars One and Two, and the Cold War, focusing on the role of young women.

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Dundrennan Abbey (Kirkcudbrightshire)

These are Gothic ruins to rival Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire – haunting stone shapes rising among secluded woodland – and it was from there that the monks who worshipped at Dundrennan arrived. The latter, though most famous as being the site where Mary, Queen of Scots sought shelter on her last night on Scottish soil, is special in its own right. As the major abbey of the Cistercian order in Scotland, it features beautiful carvings on its remaining stonework and has an unusual three-storey design. Look out for rare fairy foxgloves growing on the abbey walls in early summer – legend has it that the deep pink plant only grows where Roman soldiers once trod.

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Broughton House (Kirkcudbright)

This elevated townhouse on the River Dee is the former home of E.A. Hornel, one of the Glasgow Boy painters. It’s a work of art, containing a Parthenon frieze, glass ceiling and paintings by Hornel of local children at nearby Brighouse Bay and of his travels in the Far East. His airy studio at the back of the house contains unfinished pieces, and the library’s shelves are stacked with one of the world’s largest collections of works by and about Robert Burns. The garden is an even greater masterpiece: inspired by Japan, it combines Eastern and Western horticulture in a kaleidoscope of wisteria and Japanese cherries.

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Grey Mare’s Tail and Loch Skeen (Moffat)

Where the Moffat hills sink to form a velvety V, the Grey Mare’s Tail tumbles, a 60-metre-long skein of silver silk. It’s the fifth-highest waterfall in the UK, made even more impressive by its dramatic landscape created by glacial erosion. Climb to Loch Skeen, which basks in a craggy basin created by Lochcraig Head, Mid Craig and White Coomb. You might spot feral goats, peregrine falcons, or Britain’s rarest freshwater fish, the vendace. In the 17th century the spot was a lookout point for Covenanters keeping an eye out for government troops. The circular walk from Grey Mare’s Tail car park takes around 2.5 hours and includes 278 metres’ steep climbing.

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Robert the Bruce

Dumfries and Galloway is the Scottish monarch’s homeland. He was descended from the Lords of Annandale, though his place of birth is uncertain, and he slew his rival for the crown of Scotland The Red Comyn in Greyfriars Kirk in Dumfries in 1306. At Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura you can see a replica of his skull. Over on the shores of Loch Trool, with one of the finest views over Galloway Forest Park, Bruce’s Stone marks his first victory over an English army – the Battle of Glentrool in 1307.

Food & Drink in Dumfries and Galloway

Highstreets in Dumfries and Galloway have what many elsewhere have lost: individuality. Theirs is a character that comes from independent businesses and local producers. There’s a lived-in feel, and most of the towns have an independent butcher’s and greengrocer’s, not to mention a small bakery. There’s a packed calendar of producers’ markets, with gin, dairy products, venison, chutneys and cakes. The region even has its own ‘Food Town’ – Castle Douglas, a pretty market town with over 50 independent businesses, including a high-street brewery. Food isn’t just a necessity here – it’s a way of life.

For baker Annette Need, who grew up on a farm on the Colvend coast, Dumfries and Galloway is an inspiration to its small food and drink producers. “Dumfries & Galloway is a special place,” she says. “The hills, forests and coastlines are the backdrop for many small businesses as well as farming. Our family farm provides the basis for all my recipes and ideas.”

She’s not alone. The region has borne a cornucopia of local specialities. You might try Moffat toffee, Cream O’ Galloway ice cream or tartan-patterned chocolate from Moniaive Chocolatiers. One of the best ways to sample it all is at one of the aforementioned producers’ markets – there’s a good one in Colvend. As Annette says: “The produce markets are a great way of sampling local food and drink, perhaps finding something you cannot get anywhere else. My personal favourite is butternut squash and apricot chutney made by a Dalbeattie jam and chutney maker. Perfect with local cheese.”

There is also locally caught fish, such as scallops in Kirkcudbright, while Stranraer, an old-fashioned seaside town, celebrates seafood with its annual Oyster Festival. You’ll find tasty smoked meats from smokehouses in the west of the region, and we’ll bet you’ve heard of Galloway beef? Galloway cattle originated here in the 17th century and their meat is renowned today for being lean and flavoursome. In 2019, Dumfries baker Kerr Little of The Little Bakery – a former World Scotch Pie champion – joined forces with the Galloway Cattle Society to create the ‘Galloway pie’. This gooey concoction of Galloway beef bathing in gravy and encased in a scotch pie shell with a puff pastry top is surely just one more good reason to head for Dumfries and Galloway.

Did you know…

The world’s first pedal bicycle was invented by a Dumfriesshire blacksmith. After observing someone riding a hobbyhorse, Kirkpatrick Macmillan (1812-1878) realized that wheels would make the contraption much more efficient. Back in his smithy, he created a prototype: it was propelled by a horizontal reciprocating movement of feet on the pedals and had connecting rods to transmit this movement to cranks on the rear wheels. The bike was very heavy, but Macmillan practised riding it on country roads and was soon making the 14-mile journey to Dumfries in under an hour. He never patented his invention.

Tickled Trout Cafe - Perth

A cosy spot for coffee, the Tickled Trout Café is a dog-friendly, family-run eatery. Enjoy homemade sandwiches, cakes and freshly prepared soups in comfortable surroundings. You can even enjoy the work of local artists which takes prime of place on the café’s walls.

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MEET KIRSTY CAMPBELL – OWNER OF RYVOAN

Join our interview with Kirsty from RYVOAN, a knitwear designer from Banchory, Deeside, who creates 100% wool garments inspired by the Scottish Cairngorms. Starting RYVOAN in her Edinburgh studio, Kirsty emphasizes traditional techniques, slow design, and the connection between landscape and product. She shares insights into the brand's evolution, the influence of nature on her designs, and her commitment to sustainability and quality. Kirsty also hints at exciting future projects and her love for Scotland's landscapes and local communities.

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Cluny House Garden - Taken by Simon Hird