TOUR guide Stuart St John hits the nail on the head as he leads us into the fascinating depths of Drumlanrig Castle.
“This place is absolutely full of treasures,” he says, smiling. “Every room, every space, is home to something special.”
It is true – among the paintings, tapestries, silverware and objets d’art scattered throughout the Dumfriesshire castle are family portraits by Gainsborough, landscapes by the Dutch masters, two great cabinets originally made for Louis XIV and the arguable jewel in the crown, Rembrandt’s An Old Woman Reading.
There are unexpected finds too, with intriguing stories attached to them.
In a narrow hallway, there is artwork by Arthur Conan Doyle's father Charles Altamont Doyle, which he produced while confined in asylums after suffering depression and alcoholism, while in the very first room on our tour, two hefty tomes, a little yellowed at the edges, sit unassumingly on a bottom shelf. These happen to be first editions of Samuel Johnson’s original English dictionary.
There is much to take in as Stuart leads us from one elegant room to the next – there are 120 of them, although only a small number are open to the public.
The rest of the Pink Palace, so called because of its finely-hewed red sandstone, is off-limits. It is one of several homes belonging to Richard Scott, the 10th Duke of Buccleuch, one of the largest landowners in Scotland.
A castle has stood on this spot, which lies about three miles from the village of Thornhill, since the 14th century, but it has been demolished and rebuilt since. The current building is considered one of the finest examples of late 17th century Renaissance architecture in Scotland.
The family (the Douglas-Scott-Montagus, an intriguing, interconnected mix of aristocratic connections) has enjoyed strong links to the monarchy - Mary Queen of Scots stayed in 1563 and her son, James VI, visited in 1617 – although that has not been without its challenges. During the 1745 uprisings, it is said Jacobites sacked the castle and rode their horses up the main staircase, damaging furniture and artworks.
Drumlanrig is also famous for the theft, in 2003, of the Madonna of the Yarnwinder, a painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. Terrified staff were faced with armed robbers during the heist, and once recovered, the painting was loaned to the National Galleries of Scotland and never returned to Drumlanrig.
“There has been plenty of drama at Drumlanrig,” says Stuart, who admits he “didn’t even like history” when he first started running tours at the Dumfriesshire landmark.
“All of a sudden, though, you walk through a door and you find yourself thinking – who has done this before me?” he says.
“In whose footsteps am I walking? It is quite something.”
At Drumlanrig, the answer to that question could be anyone from NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong to Bonnie Prince Charlie.
It is a beautiful place, picturesque and peaceful, with breathtaking views over the Nith Valley, pretty woodland walks and a spectacular entrance driveway to rival anything you might see in a period TV drama or Hollywood movie. (Incidentally, the cast of Outlander have filmed at the castle: so too have the stars of the swashbuckling period drama, The Buccaneers.)
The castle is the star attraction on a sprawling estate which also boasts stunning Victorian gardens, a woodland adventure playground for children, waymarked walks and family-friendly mountain bike trails.
There is a tearoom in the castle, and a panini-and-soup-kind-of-lunch café beside the adventure playground, while the historic Castle Stableyard is worth wandering through. Built in the 1840s, it was once home to a bakery, poultry house and plumbery, and is now a hub for small businesses and bespoke craft makers.
There are several self-catering accommodation options around the estate, including studios, apartments and cottages.
Our home for a few days is Montagu Cottage, just a short walk from the castle and next door to Laundry Cottage.
Both B listed properties were built in the early to mid-19th century, and, as the name suggests, served as the estate’s laundry.
They were remodelled in 1871 by Charles Howitt and converted into two separate cottages in 1924 by J Laird of Glasgow.
Montagu Cottage is beautifully decorated, fresh and stylish, with three bedrooms (two en-suite), and an open-plan living and kitchen area, complete with striking double-fronted wood burner.
The large family bathroom features a walk-in shower and a roll-top bath, while outside, a private garden and patio are lovely spots for admiring the views.
It is a little slice of luxury in the middle of the glorious Dumfriesshire countryside, with beautiful finishing touches and plenty of space for a family to unwind and relax.
Our first day was spent exploring the castle and gardens, on foot and by e-bikes, which are available for hire. (You can also book loch and river fishing, simulated game shooting, and assault courses if you are feeling adventurous.)
We headed into Thornhill for dinner – a friendly welcome and giant portions were on the menu at The Buccleuch and Queensberry Arms Hotel, where in between courses we enjoyed browsing books on the shelf beside our table. (The titles – The Modern Shotgun, for one, and The Boys’ Book of Adventure, hark back to different times.)
The next day, we drove to Dumfries, which is around 25 minutes by car from Drumlanrig. The historic market town was quiet, on a summer holiday weekday morning, but there is plenty to see and do, from Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura to pleasant walks along the riverside.
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A highlight is the Old Bridge House, built in 1660 into the sandstone of the 15th century Devorgilla Bridge. Dumfries’ oldest house is a museum of everyday life in the town, overlooking the river Nith.
Delicious coffee with pistachio tiffin at Kings Coffee and Books in the town centre was a real treat.
Drumlanrig is a good base for exploring the surrounding area, and we decided to continue heading south from Dumfries to the Solway Firth for some sea air.
The Solway Firth is the third largest estuary in the UK and is a Special Area of Conservation, comprised of coastal dunes, salt marshes, raised mires and agricultural land.
Early morning sunshine had turned to smirry rain by the time we arrived, but we enjoyed a walk along Southerness Beach, with its mysterious lighthouse (the second oldest in Scotland, built in 1749, now disused) learning about how the area was once called Salters’ Ness, because of the salt-panning in the area.
Find of the holiday was The Steamboat Inn, in the coastal village of Carsethorn.
The obliging staff squeezed us in, even though they were packed, and the food was fantastic – perfectly cooked and seasoned burgers; delicious fish; hearty steak pie; and sweet treats to finish – sticky toffee pudding, ice cream, profiteroles …
This was dinner with a sea view, in the loveliest of atmospheres, and the perfect way to round off our short break in the south west.
FACT BOX
A stay at Montagu Cottage on the Drumlanrig Estate (drumlanrigcastle.co.uk) costs from £250 per night (minimum two nights).
Castle tours cost £18 for adults, £15 concession, £9 children (aged five to 16), free for under-fives. Access to the gardens and adventure playground costs £8 for adults, £7 concessions, £6 children (5-16), free for under-fives.
E-bikes can be hired from £15 per hour. Fishing permits from £15 per person, ghillie service also available. Clays from £45pp.
Mains at The Steamboat Inn (thesteamboatinn.co.uk) start from around £14.
The Buccleuch and Queensberry Arms Hotel (bqahotel.com) has 12 rooms and several dining options.
Visit Kings Coffee and Books, Dumfries (kings-online.co.uk) for soup, sandwiches, milkshakes, coffee and pistachio tiffin
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