Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail

I’d never heard of Kirkcudbright before. The harbor town at the bottom of the Scottish coast isn’t exactly on the main tourist trail. But given my love of discovering new places, I agreed to go when my boyfriend suggested a weekend trip to the annual Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail. And I’m so glad I did.

Kirkcudbright, Scotland

I’ve found myself with 36 hours in Kirkcudbright, and I’m learning all I can about this under-the-radar place in Scotland.

For example, this town on the Solway Firth in Dumfries and Galloway is known for attracting creative types. From illustrator Jessie M King to Colourist S J Peploe, important Scottish artists have been drawn to this part of Britain for over a century.

And that means one thing: it’s really pretty here.

Seriously lovely. I can’t put my camera down (there’s even a castle!).

Even better, the annual Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail makes my visit more exciting.

This 4-day event showcases everything from local art to private homes and gardens. There are 100 venues to visit, which means seemingly everyone in the community participates.

The trail has been so successful that it’s been given an Epic Award for Scotland. And it’s so significant that even the maquettes for the Kelpies—Scotland’s enormous equine sculptures—have made their way here this year. Given the maquettes have toured New York and Chicago, it says a lot.

But what impresses me most about the Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail is the enthusiasm and spirit that go into it.

The whole local community has come together to throw open the town’s doors, streets, and gardens to show off art at every point on the spectrum.

Professional artists display their work in garden sheds, amateur craftspeople present their goods in community halls, and everyone gets involved in her or his own way.

I also love that so many secret places are open to me and my camera. Given I spend most of my London life worrying how near I get to houses and gardens, this is a dream come true.

Not only can I get as close as I want to, but people are actually encouraging me to. Kirkcudbright might just be my own personal heaven.

Between photos, my boyfriend and I busy ourselves exploring Kirkcudbright’s tiny streets and passages, gardens and galleries.

We pick up a couple of paintings at a local art gallery to commemorate our visit, and have seafood on the waterfront as the tide comes in.

Things to Do in Kirkcudbright

We also explore the town beyond the Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail. There’s a lot to see and do here, from museums to restaurants and more.

Broughton House

We particularly enjoy visiting Broughton House, the 18th-century home of Scottish painter E A Hornel.

Hornel was one of the Glasgow Boys, a group of young artists that helped launched modernism in Scottish painting in the late 19th century. Like King, Peploe, and E A Taylor, he made his home in this artists’ colony (and it’s pink!).

Broughton House is full of treasures, but the garden is what really wins my heart. Overflowing with the colors of summer, its walking paths are the perfect places to find peace.

Selkirk Arms Hotel

We also enjoy seeing the dedication to Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, at our hotel, the Selkirk Arms. Burns wrote his famous Selkirk Grace inside in 1794.

It means a lot to me to see it, as my Glaswegian grandmother used to recite the poem before dinners when I was a child.

And speaking of dinners, we enjoy a good dinner at the hotel and an equally good lunch at nearby Polarbites. The latter is a beloved seafood restaurant near the water where the friendly staff serves fresh catches all day.