Dumfries

Dumfries is the principal town of Dumfries and Galloway, set on the banks of the River Nith in south-west Scotland. Known as the Queen of the South, its red sandstone streets and bridges give the centre a distinctive warm tone. The town's six-arched Devorgilla Bridge, parts of which date to the medieval period, is one of the oldest crossings in Scotland still in regular use.

Dumfries is closely linked with the national poet Robert Burns, who spent the last years of his life here and is buried in St Michael's Churchyard. Visitors can follow a Burns trail that takes in Burns House, where he died in 1796, the Robert Burns Centre on the riverside, and the Globe Inn, his favourite howff. The Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura, housed in an 18th-century windmill above the town, offers wide views over the Nith valley.

The High Street is pedestrianised and lined with a mix of independent shops, cafés and the landmark Midsteeple, a former tolbooth dating from 1707. Riverside paths along the Nith link the town centre with Dock Park and the salmon weir known as the Caul, a popular spot for watching kayakers and wildlife.