I am planning on a 2-3 week trip to Scotland for my 60th birthday (January of '28, but I figure either October of 27 or April of 28 would be more to my liking). My husband will most likely be with me, but this could be a solo adventure.
I would love some insight into travelling the areas related to Robert Burns, with occasional detours to places like Falkirk and Loch Lomond, in 'shoulder seasons' of the year.
I am comfortable with using the public transit system as a local would and plan on using Glasgow as my base (with Edinburgh stays for a couple days arriving and departing possibly, I'd be flying over from Boston) and I'm comfortable with hostels/self-catering accommodations. The occasional day tour is also not out of the question.
Posted by
London
1777 posts
I would recommend travelling in April over January or October. In January in particular, the days are VERY short in Scotland, and it will be rainy. April will be nicer. However, there is the consideration that travelling in January you could be in Scotland for Burns Night (25 January), where you can address the haggis etc. That might be more important to you than the weather.
The most obvious place to go for Burns sites is of course Alloway, where you can see his home and visit the museum. There's also a nice walk around town you can do where you can see some Burns-related sites, including the Brig o'Doon. Alloway is on the outskirts of Ayr so you can reach it with public transport but I will leave it to others to provide the specific info.
Posted by
Lake District, England
12517 posts
From Glasgow to Ayr/Alloway is very easy with regular trains to Ayr, then buses onto Alloway, although there is also a fast motorway express bus every 30 minutes from Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station to Ayr- as fast as the train.
From Ayr to Dumfries you can still connect twice a day by bus via New Cumnock (change) but there is also a train several times a day from Ayr to Kilmarnock, change for Dumfries (so you don't have to go back to Glasgow to connect).
I'm on that via Kilmarnock train (again) next week, travelling from the Lake District- not for Burns but other things in Ayr and Girvan.
Also Houstons run a direct bus several times a day (it is a bus, not a coach) from Edinburgh to Dumfries. Both route variants are scenic but if you get the once daily #102 southbound variant at 1720 from Edinburgh that routes via the Dalveen Pass, which is a pretty spectacular road. Yes the route is a 3 hour trip.
And that 102 bus actually stops at the Friars Carse Hotel. I would suggest staying there for at least one night for it's Burns connections. Next day you can walk from there to Ellisland Farm via The Hermitage then catch the local bus to Dumfries from Ellisland.
I've not been inside the Friars Carse but have been in the lovely grounds a couple of times, having arrived by bus.
It may be a Country House Hotel but the prices are really pretty reasonable.
In Dumfries there is a Town Trail following Burns.
The Theatre Royal in Dumfries is also associated with him, and is Scotland's oldest working theatre- so you may like to try to see a performance there.
For your 'Birthday' meal you may wish to visit the Globe Inn in Dumfries- see the museum/tour then have a meal there. It is fine dining and far from cheap- but this is a treat.
When I stay in Dumfries I always use the Dumfries Villa Guest House- which is steps away from the Railway Station.
Posted by
Glasgow
205 posts
Make sure you give enough time to lovely little Alloway,where you will find the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Burns Cottage, the atmospheric ruins of Alloway Kirk (of Tam o’Shanter fame and where Burns’s parents are buried with a lovely dedication from Burns himself carved on the gravestone.) There are also the Burns Memorial Gardens, a lovely space and of course the lovely old Brig o’Doon.
It’s well worth visiting the cottage on one of the regular guided tours as it really brings everything to life - there is even an old school report card of the Bard which is very amusing given his future talents.
I can recommend the excellent scones in the Museum’s cafe, especially the Clootie Dumpling scones!
I’d also recommend a visit while in Alloway to nearby Rozelle House which houses the superb collection of Alexander Goudie’s paintings of the key scenes of Tam o’Shanter.Stunning.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-38589577
Not too far away from Alloway is glorious Culzean Castle and its wonderful garden grounds overlooking the sea, if you can find time to add on that visit.
In Edinburgh, the Writer’s Museum has an interesting collection on Burns - the last time I visited, that section of the Museum was quietly playing Ae Fond Kiss in the background which I admit brought a tear to my eye.Very atmospheric.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
3192 posts
Don't forget Dumfries where Burns spent the last and most productive years of his life and is buried in St Michael's Churchyard.
There's information about some of the Burn's related things here.