Dumfries and Galloway (; ) is one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, situated in the western part of the Southern Uplands. It is bordered by East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, and South Lanarkshire to the north; the Scottish Borders to the northeast; and the English county of Cumbria, the Solway Firth, and the Irish Sea to the south. To the west, it faces the North Channel.
The administrative centre and largest settlement is the town of Dumfries. The second-largest town, Stranraer, lies approximately west of Dumfries on the North Channel coast.
Dumfries and Galloway corresponds to the historic shire counties of Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire, and Wigtownshire, the latter two collectively known as Galloway. These three counties were merged in 1975 to form the Dumfries and Galloway Region, which consisted of four districts. The district system was abolished in 1996, when the area became a single unitary authority under the same name.
For lieutenancy purposes, Dumfries and Galloway is divided into three ceremonial areas: Dumfries, Wigtown, and the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, each corresponding broadly to the former historic counties.
History
The term Dumfries and Galloway has been used since at least the 19th century – by 1911 the three counties had a united sheriffdom under that name. Dumfries and Galloway covers the majority of the western area of the Southern Uplands, it also hosts Scotland's most Southerly point, at the Mull of Galloway in the west of the region.
Dumfries itself has a rich history going back over 800 years as a Royal Burgh (1186). It is particularly remembered as the place where Robert the Bruce murdered the Red Comyn in 1306 before being crowned King of Scotland – and where Robert Burns spent his last years. His mausoleum is in St Michael's graveyard. Going down the east bank of the Nith is the village of Glencaple, Caerlaverock Castle, an ancient Roman fort on Ward Law Hill and nearby in Ruthwell is the Ruthwell Cross and the Brow Well where Robert Burns "took the waters" and bathed in the Solway just before his death.
Sweetheart Abbey lies within New Abbey and the National Museum of Costume lies just outside the village.
Near Kirkbean, the house of John Paul Jones, founder of the American Navy, is open to visitors.
Geography
Regions The Dumfries and Galloway Council region is composed of counties and their sub-areas. From east to west: Dumfriesshire County the sub-area of Dumfriesshire – Annandale the sub-area of Dumfriesshire – Eskdale the sub-area of Dumfriesshire – Nithsdale Kirkcudbrightshire County the sub-area of Kirkcudbrightshire – Stewartry (archaically, Desnes) Wigtownshire County the sub-area of Wigtownshire – Machars (archaically, Farines)--divided into census areas (civil parish areas) the sub-area of Wigtownshire – Rhins of Galloway divided into census areas (civil parish areas)
Water systems
The region has a number of south running water systems which break through the Southern Uplands creating the main road, and rail, arteries north–south through the region and breaking the hills up into a number of ranges.
River Cree valley carries the A714 north-westward from Newton Stewart to Girvan and Water of Minnoch valley which lies just west of the Galloway Hills carries a minor road northward through Glentrool village into South Ayrshire. This road leaves the A714 at Bargrennan. Water of Ken and River Dee form a corridor through the hills called the Glenkens which carries the A713 road from Castle Douglas to Ayr. The Galloway Hills lie to the west of this route through the hills and the Carsphairn and Scaur Hills lie to the east. River Nith rises between Dalmellington and New Cumnock in Ayrshire and runs east then south down Nithsdale to Dumfries. Nithsdale carries both the A76 road and the rail line from Dumfries to Kilmarnock. It separates the Carsphairn and Scaur Hills from the Lowther Hills which lie east of the Nith. River Annan combines with Evan Water and the River Clyde to form one of the principal routes into central Scotland from England – through Annandale and Clydesdale – carrying the M74 and the west coast railway line. This gap through the hills separates the Lowthers from the Moffat Hills. River Esk enters the Solway Firth just south of Gretna having travelled south from Langholm and Eskdalemuir. The A7 travels up Eskdale as far as Langholm and from Langholm carries on up the valley of Ewes Water to Teviothead where it starts to follow the River Teviot to Hawick. Eskdale itself heads north west from Langholm through Bentpath and Eskdalemuir to Ettrick and Selkirk.
Transportation
The A701 branches off the M74 at Beattock, goes through the town of Moffat, climbs to Annanhead above the Devil's Beef Tub (at the source of the River Annan) before passing the source of the River Tweed and carrying on to Edinburgh. Until fairly recent times the ancient route to Edinburgh travelled right up Annandale to the Beef Tub before climbing steeply to Annanhead. The present road ascends northward on a ridge parallel to Annandale but to the west of it which makes for a much easier ascent.
From Moffat the A708 heads north east along the valley of Moffat Water (Moffatdale) on its way to Selkirk. Moffatdale separates the Moffat hills (to the north) from the Ettrick hills to the south.
Natural Heritage
Landscape
There are three National Scenic Areas within the region:
Nith Estuary: this area follows the River Nith southward from just south of Dumfries into the Solway Firth. On the west bank, there are several walks and cycle routes in Mabie Forest, Kirkconnell Flow, an extensive area of peatland between Dumfries and New Abbey, is a National nature reserve. Criffel (569 metres) offers the hill walker a reasonably modest walk with views across the Solway to the Lake District. East Stewartry Coast: this takes in the coast line from Balcary Point eastward across Auchencairn Bay and the Rough Firth past Sandyhills to Mersehead. There are several coastal villages within this area – Auchencairn, Kippford, Colvend, Rockcliffe, and Portling. There is also a round tower at Orchardton and the islands of Hestan Isle and Rough Island can be reached at low tide outside the breeding season for birds. Mersehead is a wildfowl reserve. The area has a number of coastal paths. Fleet Valley: this area takes in Fleet Bay with its holiday destinations of Auchenlarie, Mossyard Bay, Cardoness, Sandgreen and Carrick Shore. The area also includes the town of Gatehouse of Fleet and the historic villages of Anworth and Girthon – there is a castle at Cardoness in the care of Historic Scotland.
Fauna The coastline of Dumfries and Galloway is an internationally important migratory and local bird habitat. There are RSPB Nature Reserves at the Mull of Galloway, Wood of Cree (Galloway Forest Park), Ken Dee Marshes (near Loch Ken) and Mereshead (near Dalbeattie on the Solway Firth). The wetland nature reserve at Caerlaverock is managed by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust.
The region is a stronghold for several rare and protected species of amphibian, such as the Natterjack toad and the Great crested newt.
Flora The Cree Valley in the Galloway Hills north of Newton Stewart holds some of the most extensive areas of ancient woodland in southern Scotland.Bain, Clifton (2015), The Rainforests of Britain and Ireland: A Traveller's Guide, Sandstone Press, Dingwall, pp. 132 - 135, Clones from aspen (Populus Tremula) growing in inaccessible locations on the Galloway coast have contributed disproportionately to the national aspen clone bank. Some of the purest genetic strains of the wild apple (Malus sylvestris) are to be found in the region's coastal woodlands.Laurie, McNabb, "The tide is turning along the Solway", in Brodie, Sonja (ed.), Reforesting Scotland Issue 74: Autumn/Winter 2026, pp. 6 - 8,
Transport
Transport in the region is operated by bus companies Houston's, Stagecoach South Scotland, Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire, McCall's Coaches, the council-run DGC Buses and a variety of other small operators. Train operators in the region are ScotRail, TransPennine Express and Avanti West Coast. The region has seven working railway stations. All are on the Glasgow South Western Line, except Lockerbie which is on the West Coast Main Line. Stranraer railway station Kirkconnel railway station Sanquhar railway station Dumfries railway station Annan railway station Gretna Green railway station Lockerbie railway station
The mainline from Dumfries railway station via Newton Stewart to Stranraer Harbour railway station, was closed under the Beeching cuts. The line previously connected London Euston and the West Coast Main Line with the ferries to Larne Harbour railway station and the Port of Belfast.
The Port Road line to Stranraer was the last to go in June 1965, leaving only the original G&SWR main line open to serve the Stranraer. The Beeching cuts ended the Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway and Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Railway has resulted in adverse mileage to connect Stranraer with a longer line via Kilmarnock and Ayr.
The area is served by buses which connect the main population centres. Express bus services link the main towns with Glasgow, Ayr, Edinburgh and Carlisle. Local bus services also operate across the region. Dumfries and Galloway is home to two ports which have services to Northern Ireland, both are in the West of the region. Stena Line and P&O Irish Sea both have a port in the village of Cairnryan. The region also has no commercial airports; the nearest are Glasgow Prestwick Airport and Carlisle Lake District Airport. The region does host a number of private airfields.
The main roads to and from the region are:
A74(M) A75 A76 A77 A701 A709
Emergency services
As with the whole of Scotland, Police Scotland is the police force for the region and Scotland as a whole since it was formed from the merger of Scotland's previous regional police forces. Its predecessor, Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary (dissolved 2014) was the smallest police force in the United Kingdom. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (formerly Dumfries and Galloway Fire and Rescue Service) provides firefighting services across the region. The Coastguard, Lifeboats, Moffat mountain rescue and Galloway Mountain Rescue also offer emergency services across Dumfries and Galloway.
Nith Inshore Rescue is based at Glencaple. This independent lifeboat provides water rescue cover for the River Nith, surrounding rivers and inland water. Nith Inshore Rescue is a declared facility for HM Coastguard, the control centre and overseeing authority responsible for call outs.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway provides healthcare services across the region. The two main hospitals are the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary in Dumfries and Galloway Community Hospital in Stranraer.
Education Dumfries & Galloway Council provides nursery, primary and secondary education across the region.
Alternative schools Kilquhanity School
Nursery and primary schools
Secondary schools
Annan Academy Castle Douglas High School Dalbeattie High School Douglas Ewart High School, Newton Stewart Dalry Secondary School Dumfries Academy Dumfries High School Kirkcudbright Academy Langholm Academy Lockerbie Academy Moffat Academy North West Community Campus, Dumfries Sanquhar Academy St Joseph's College, Dumfries Stranraer Academy Wallace Hall, Thornhill
Culture Languages The 2022 Scottish Census reported that out of 142,514 residents aged three and over, 48,703 (34.2%) considered themselves able to speak or read the Scots language.
The 2022 Scottish Census reported that out of 142,501 residents aged three and over, 1,162 (0.8%) considered themselves able to speak or read Gaelic.
Outdoor activities