Introducing GG's Yard, the Perfect Bookish Retreat in the South of Scotland
(I visited this location during a press trip with Visit Scotland, however, all opinions are my own)
As a lifelong city dweller, I frequently dream about the rolling hills and sweet air of the countryside. There’s a certain stillness and silence there that just doesn’t exist in London - however much I love the hustle and bustle of the big smoke. So back in January, when I set off for my trip around the south of Scotland, GG’s Yard easily stood out as a highlight of my itinerary. Eyeballing photos of squat little cabins, dotted along the sloping Galloway hillside and facing the sea, I could picture myself sprawled out in bed, clutching a book while the sun set before my eyes.
Fortunately for me the reality of GG’s Yard completely lived up to, and surpassed, my high expectations. Part of a 250 year-old farm with 1000 acres of privately owned land, GG’s is truly a family run business, and is named after the owners’ 98 year old granny. Sporting panoramic views of the Galloway coast, the site is perfectly located for a relaxing weekend away, or even a luxurious wedding.
At GG’s there’s a total of 18 individual ‘snugs’ that you can choose to stay in. Each has its own theme, and upon my arrival, I was thrilled to discover that I had been allocated a snug named The Burrow. Not only was this a very welcome reference to the Weasely’s precarious home in Harry Potter, but it also meant that my home for the night had an adorable bunny rabbit theme. There were bunnies on the walls, bunnies on the mugs and bunnies on the cushions. I absolutely loved it! These little snugs are basically boutique hotel rooms perched on the Scottish hillside, equipped with everything that you would need for a short break - so cast away any thoughts you’ve had of glamping. I was pleased to find that my snug came with a fridge containing fresh milk, a freezer complete with ice cubes, a kettle and mugs with a selection of teabags, very effective central heating, and a lovely modern bathroom with a fab shower. A few of the snugs are even dog friendly, making GG’s Yard a proper little home away from home.
You can pick which snug you’d like when booking on their website, and most of them are structured roughly the same; they have one main room which operates as both a bedroom and a living room, a generous en suite, and a small entryway just big enough to store your muddy walking boots and umbrellas. The decor in each is classy but quirky, and a few of them even have hot tubs if you’re feeling extravagant! If you have little ones you can opt for one of the larger lodgings, Cairnharrow Cottage, Costal Crib or Daisy Den, which sleep four people and have two bedrooms. Inside, each piece of furniture has been intentionally placed to create a cosy feel without seeming claustrophobic, making way for the star of the show - that view! Each snug has a huge window with the most magnificent view of the sea positioned directly in front of the bed. Yes, you can literally watch the sun set while you’re all snuggled up under the covers, and I can confirm that it’s complete bliss.
There’s no need to worry about privacy - heavy curtains can be drawn across the window at any time, and the snugs are placed strategically so that none of them are overlooked by another.
Things to do nearby
While you’re down in this part of the country you need to take a trip out to Scotland’s national book town, Wigtown, which really is just on your doorstep. Drive 25 minutes west and you’ll be in bookish heaven with 12 independently owned bookstores for you to explore at your leisure. Find out more about this wonderful town in my blog post here.
Other places to go and things to see include the lovely market town Kirkcudbright, the wonderfully triangular Caerlaverock Castle and Moat Brae, home of the Moat Brae Peter Pan Trust, which are all just a short(ish) drive away.
Waking up bright and early the morning after my stay at GG’s, I had my breakfast at their on-site cafe, which boasts a large menu with all of the usual breakfast food options. I can also recommend the lovely gastropub that we dined in the evening before, The Masonic Arms in nearby Gatehouse of Fleet.
Finding GG’s Yard
GG’s is best accessed by car, but if you’re not able to drive, there’s always the option of catching the train to Dumfries and carrying on your journey by taxi. It’ll be a bit pricy but completely worth the money, in my opinion!
Final thoughts
And so concludes my stay at the very wonderful GG’s Yard in Galloway, Scotland. I have to say, I was very tempted to tell the rest of the group to just leave me behind so that I could spend the rest of the trip in my cosy little snug. This is definitely a place that I would like to revisit in the future, with a week of no plans and a big stack of books under my arm.
Find out more and book your own stay on their website here.
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A Bookshop Guide to Wigtown, Scotland’s National Book Town
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