29th SCOTTISH RILEY EHTHUSIASTS NATIONAL WEEKEND
GATEHOUSE OF FLEET, DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY
We look forward to welcoming all Riley owners and enthusiasts to Scotland’s best kept secret – the
beautiful unspoiled countryside of Galloway and particularly the delightful small village of the
Gatehouse of Fleet.
HOTEL
Our base will be the four star Cally Palace Hotel standing at the edge of the village reached by a mile
long drive through woodland and the hotel’s 150 acre parkland. The earliest part of the hotel dates from
1763 when it was built as the home of James Murray. Later additions were made in the 19 th century
until the last private tenant was the Maharaja of Jind who left in 1932. The estate was then sold to the
Forestry Commission which sold the house and policies for use as a hotel in 1934. Other than its use as
a school for Glasgow evacuees during WW2 it has been a hotel ever since and retains all it’s A listed
mansion house characteristics.
The hotel has a swimming pool, golf course, croquet pitch, tennis court, snooker and pool tables. For
those of us wishing (or perhaps more pertinent, still able) to use these facilities they are freely
available.
We have reserved all 56 rooms in the hotel for the nights of Friday 19th and Saturday 20th of May at a
special rate of £78 per person per night, dinner bed and breakfast for two sharing a room and £88 for
single occupancy. These rates include the Gala Dinner on Saturday evening. Entrants may extend their
stay before or after the weekend at the same rates. Dogs are welcome but £5 per night is levied for the
extra cleaning.
Although the hotel has a full lift service four rooms are available on the ground floor for the less able
visitors. Other rooms with easier access facilities are available. Please tell the hotel of any mobility and
dietary needs when booking.
The charge for the Gala Dinner for non-residents will be £30. This must be paid at the hotel reception
desk before the dinner.
The rooms are reserved until one month before the event after which they will be available to the
general public
To book a room please telephone 01557 814 341 or email [email protected] mentioning the
Scottish Riley Enthusiasts Weekend. Ask for email confirmation of the booking.
There will be a 20% ‘non-refundable’ deposit taken at the time of booking. (We are told that refund
requests would be sympathetically considered depending on circumstances.)
CAMPING
Camping for tents and caravans is available in the village at Anwoth Holiday Park, part of the Swalwell
Holiday Group. We have reserved a number of spaces for the two nights.
The charge for tents will be £16 per night inclusive of an electrical hook up.
Contact number 01557 814333 or email: [email protected].
The Swalwell web site is www.swalwellholidayproup.co.uk
Other hotels and B&B’s are available in the area, see Visit Scotland website for details.
TRAILERS
The hotel has extensive grounds and we can arrange for trailers to be parked near the buildings. Please
let us know on your entry if you plan to use a trailer so that we can make arrangements. Please also
note that using a trailer will prevent entry in self= judging concours awards and mileage awards.
SATURDAY OUTINGS
More details of the outings are in the appendices.
A CASTLES, ARTS AND SEASIDE
Kirkcudbright/Dundrennan/Dalbeatie/ Castle Douglas. About 60 miles
A run with harbours, rivers, castles and abbeys, gardens and art galleries to be seen
B RED KITE TRAIL
About 50 miles
Lauriston/New Galloway www.gallowaykitetrail.com
If Ornithology is your interest follow the Red Kite Trail around Loch Ken and see them feeding
(60/80 birds) at the feeding station at Bellymack Farm. Feeding takes place every day at 2.00pm. £5
admission charge.. Also seen in this area are deer, wild goats and otter. An additional 10 mile run
through the forestry on the Raiders Road is well worth while.
C MACHAR MEANDER
Wigton/Whithorn
About 80.miles
This run takes you to the book town of Wigton and the early Christian settlements on the Machar.
Visit Scotland’s book town, see early remains associated with Saint Ninian, visit a tank museum and
see where Mullberry harbours were devised and tested.
B RHINN RUNS
Port Patrick/ Mull of Galloway lighthouse
About 120 miles (170 miles for both )
A longer run with some A class road. Port Patrick predates Stranraer as the port for sailing to Ireland
and is a beautiful small town in a deep valley. The Mull of Galloway gives you views of Ireland,
Rathlin Island, Mull of Kintyre, Isle of Man and the Lake district from one spot (On a clear day!).
E GATEHOUSE
Why drive? Why not just relax and wander round Gatehouse, admire the village, look at the mill
visitor centre and river, see the gardens and grounds of Cally Palace. Perhaps go as far as the ruined
Cardoness Castle or maybe the Gemrock museum in Creetown..
GALA DINNER
This will be held at Cally Palace in the main dining room. Non residents should pay for their meal at
reception in advance. The meal is included in the hotel rate but for non residents the charge will be £30.
SUNDAY
Sunday will start with a period to view and judge the cars. After which we offer a short run of about 20
miles on single track roads to Gatehouse’s disused railway station (6 miles from Gatehouse!) and on to
Creetown. We return to Gatehouse by the old military road. The scenery of the Cairnsmore of Fleet
Nature Reserve is outstanding , the area remote and the Clints of Dromore are impressive (range of
cliffs near the station).
After returning to the hotel there will be a buffet lunch in the dining room followed by the valedictory
meeting and awards. The cost of the lunch will be £8 per person. It will be added to the bill of residents
but should be paid as for the dinner by non-residents.
TO ENTER
Either complete the entry form on the web site or contact J.Burgess by email at [email protected]
or telephone 01899 308223 for postal entry.
If entering via web site but paying by cheque please send cheque to J.Burgess, Intwood, Manse Road,
Symington ML12 6LN
Appendix A CASTLES ARTS AND SEASIDE
Leave the hotel drive and turn right on the B727, cross the A75 and take the A755 to Kirkcudbright
(artists town)( name from church of Saint Cuthbert- early Northumberland Christian).
The car park at the harbour has tourist information office. Most fishing boats are scallop dredgers in
the active harbour.
See McClellans castle, Broughton house, Toll Booth art centre etc.
For Dundrennan go to the main street and follow the A711 The abbey remains are on your right in the
village. Founded by King David 1by inviting Cistercians monks from Rievaulx in N. Yorks.
Continue to Dalbeattie to junction with A710 where turn right to town (note granite built houses- much
radon!).
Turn right for Kippford and Rockcliffe on A710. Mariners Hotel good for lunch. Rockcliffe very pretty.
Return Dalbeattie and back to junction with A745 then to Castle Douglas.
In and near this town are art galleries, Threave Gardens and Threave Castle (home of the Black
Douglases)
Return to Gatehouse either along A75 or if you have time head north on A713 (Ayr) and turn left onto
B795 after a short distance. Follow this road through Lauriston and over the hill to Gatehouse. Turn
left in Gatehouse for the Hotel. Superb hill scenery.
Appendix B Kite Trail
Leave the hotel and turn left then right after a short distance head for Lauriston. In Lauriston turn left
and head for New Galloway. Narrow road, good driving and several view points along this stretch.
In New Galloway turn right on A712 then right again on A713. A wider road and busier but good
scenery. Shortly after Crossmichael turn right onto /B795 for Lauriston. Bellymack Farm is a short
distance on the right. Birds are fed every day at 2.00pm and there is an entry fee of £5 to this
attraction.
If you wish to drive the Raiders Road turn left on to the Forestry trail at Mossdale between Lauriston
and New Galloway. After arriving at Clatteringshaws loch turn right for New Galloway and rejoin the
Kite Trail.
Appendix C Machars Meander
Leave hotel turn left and through village to A75. Follow this road through to Newton Stewart then left
on to A714 to Wigtown. Once an important county town now a quiet and peaceful town home of
Scotland’s largest collection of book dealers in one place.
Continue on A714 past Bladenoch and the disused airfield to Sorbie. Turn left for Garlieston, decayed
port and fishing village. Good lunch at Steam Packet Inn. This bay was where Mulberry Harbour
development work was done. Return toward Sorbie turn left toward Whithorn and fork left for the Isle
of Whithorn. This is the site of Saint Ninian’s chapel. Return to Whithorn turn left for Monteith on to
Port William and Wigtown. Return to the hotel via Newton Stewart. The whole area around Whithorn
is rich in carved stones, cup and ring marks and early traces of man.
Appendix D Rhinns Runs
As for Machars take the road past Newton Stewart but continue through Glenluce to left fork on to
B7084 for Port Patrick. Shortly fork right on toB7077follow the signs for Port Patrick. Several
hostelries serve lunch near the harbour. Life boat station,castle,superb scenery. Fairly busy town
which started as the port for Ireland until it was realised that getting in and out in poor weather was
too risky. The haven of Loch Ryan meant that this role became Stranraer’s. Even Stranraer has now
been displaced by Cairnryan to shorten the journey and provide better facilities.
Either return to the hotel the way you came or go back to the A716 and turn south for Mull of
Galloway. Follow signs as far as you can go. The light house has a visitor centre where food is
available and there is plenty of parking. The Lakes and Northern Ireland lie to the south, as does the
Isle of Man. Rathlin Island and the Mull of Kintyre lie more to the west and North west. All can be seen
if the weather is clear.
In this area is the Logan Botanic Garden – well worth a visit to see plants more at home in warmer
climates(Gulf Stream) Several castle and other gardens also lie in the Rhinns.
The roads from Sandhead on are narrow or single track
Return the way you came. (Anything else makes a big splash!)
Appendix E Gatehouse.
Gatehouse is a very attractive small village now that the main road passes by. It has a visitor centre in
a rebuilt mill which outlines the story of the village and has a café. Behind Cally Palace are the
restored walled gardens of the ‘big house’ Well worth a visit for the small entry charge. The grounds of
the hotel were originally designed for pleasure and the walks through the woods (blue bells) and down
to the Water of Fleet are very relaxing.
Slightly out of the village toward Newton Stewart is Cardoness Castle – a ruined tower house which
can be visited and further on is Creetown with it’s Gemrock Museum Probably best to take a car for
these outings.