Providing a personalised service to assist you in all areas of your holiday in Scotland

What’s Included on a Tour

Pre-tour Contact

• As a smaller tour operator, you deal only with Robin to discuss your requirements. We therefore have the flexibility to discuss your holiday preferences in detail to suit your individual needs.
• *If you are a busy person and would just like to book a tour, you can do this also, and we can respond to confirm.

Welcome Meeting

• At your arrival accommodation. We go over your holiday information pack and can answer any questions you have.

Information Pack

• includes detailed route maps, local information about places of interest on each tour as well as our own ‘off the beaten track’ local recommendations. The maps and tour information we provide are easy to follow and can also include short-cuts, ‘extra miles’ or other detour options depending on your interests.

Accommodation

• We use a variety of tried and tested accommodation in our region of various standards from specialist B&B’s to top quality hotels, depending on the chosen tour or your preference. Our own five star Tripadvisor rated Summerhill B&B is used for your first night's accommodation, subject to availability.

Support Service

• if any problems occur – contact us by mobile phone and we are then able to provide you with support asap.

Luggage Transfer

• We offer to transfer your luggage between overnight accommodation places. We do this ourselves to ensure security of your belongings - we don't use taxis or other transport means.

Additional Services

• We specialise in being flexible to your requirements so let us know if you require extra services and we will arrange if possible.

What’s NOT INCLUDED on a tour

Lunches and Evening meals

Our selected accommodation is mostly in small towns and villages with hotels and restaurants for your evening meal. This allows you the flexibility to choose where you want to eat, with advice given by us or your local accommodation provider.

Entry Fees

- To castles, gardens etc during a tour. Entry to attractions are not mandatory, with free entry to the tea rooms and restaurants.

Transport

Pick-up Service

Our region is in the South West of Scotland and is easily accessible from central Scotland, Northern England, London (daily London bus) and Belfast in Northern Ireland.

We are based in the market town of Castle Douglas which is situated in the centre of the region.

With our 7 seat Mercedes minibus we are able to pick up from Lockerbie and Dumfries railway stations as part of our service, and for groups at airports or seaports.

Ways to Get to Castle Douglas

By Car

Castle Douglas is by-passed by the A75 road which runs through the region. It is an easy drive from most cities in the north of England, via the M6 and Central Scotland via the A74. We are 1 hour from Carlisle and Stranraer and 2 hours from Glasgow and Edinburgh.

By Train

Dumfries and Lockerbie railway stations are closest to arrive at our base in Castle Douglas. Dumfries is 30mins away and is on the line between Glasgow and Carlisle. Lockerbie is 45 mins away and on the main west coast UK line between London Euston and Edinburgh. Lockerbie is 1 hour from Edinburgh by train and a popular option to reach us. We are able to pick you up at the railway station and bring you to our base in the market town of Castle Douglas.

By Air

Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle airports are around a 2 hour drive from Castle Douglas. We suggest after arrival at these airports, take the regular airport bus to the city centre - under 30mins - and take a train to either Lockerbie or Dumfries from where we can pick you up.

By Bus

There is a daily ‘National Express’ coach service between London to Belfast which stops in Castle Douglas. The regular No.500 bus between Dumfries and Stranraer, which calls in at Castle Douglas and runs every 2 hours.

By Sea

The ferry ports of Cairnryan in the west of our region are just over an hour from Castle Douglas. The regular ferries sail from and to Belfast and Larne in N. Ireland.

Payment

Tour Deposit

A booking is accepted by us
a) when we confirm the holiday availability and cost, and
b) on receipt of the deposit payment.

To complete a booking we normally ask for a deposit of 25% of the total holiday cost. (If booking hotel or self catering accommodation, we may require the accommodation cost to be paid in full after we book it for you).

Deposits are normally non returnable, but to date we have a sympathetic policy with a proportion returned according to the tour preparation work done.

We comply with the EEC Package Travel Directive 1992. Your deposit or full payment is held in a separate bank account until your holiday has been completed.

Payment Methods

We accept payment in UK pounds sterling. We accept payment by debit or credit card, cheque, Paypal or bank transfer. We request customers pay any transaction / administration charge.

Galloway Holidays Accreditation

We have been working with Visitscotland Dumfries and Galloway since our formation in 2004. We achieved a silver award after inspection by the Visitscotland accredited Green Tourism Business Scheme. Galloway Holidays (and Galloway Walking Holidays) is part of Galloway Holidays Ltd.

We have several overseas agents for whom we provide their ‘Scottish’ walking holidays. To date, we have had no disputes during our 12 years existence.