Dumfries, situated, on the banks of the River Nith, not too great a distance from the Solway Firth is, by a great number, the most populous town in the southwest of Scotland (the population is far more than thirty thousand souls). Dumfries, in a similar way to Ayr, has a close associated with the life and times of, the poet, Robert Burns.

For folk wishing to take a vacation in Dumfries below we have listed information about three popular visitor attractions to visit; Robert Burns House, Lochmaben Castle and Dundrennan Abbey:

Dundrennan Abbey

King David I founded Dundrennan Abbey in 1142. During this time, Scottish abbeys were more often built of a reddish sandstone, but Dundrennan Abbey was constructed of very hard-weathering, local grey sandstone. This is probably the reason why many of the original architecural forms and mouldings have survived. The first monks to reside in the Abbey, originally come from Rievaulx, Yorkshire. Mary Queen of Scots spent her last night on Scottish soil at Dundrennan Abbey in 1568. She then found her way across the Solway Firth to Workington, and was soon imprisoned and captured by the English. The land passed into the hands of the Crown, following the Scottish Reformation in 1587.

Lochmaben Castle

The Lochmaben Castle, that is left today, was not the first Lochmaben Castle. The first was built by the Bruce family, Lords of Annandale, in the beginning of the twelfth century. In 1298, King Edward I of England seized the castle, and then constructed another Lochmaben Castle in a better defensive situation. This second castle was finished in the start of the fourteenth century, leaving the old castle derelict. From 1306 to 1588, the castle was either in the hands of the Scots or the hands of the English. It was in 1588 that James VI attacked and seized the castle from the Maxwell family. The castle was eventually abandoned after the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

Robert Burns House

One of the most famous men in Scotland, Robert Burns, resided in Dumfries during the latter years of his life. The home that his family and he once occupied, has now become a place of pilgramge for his fans from across the globe. He passed away prematurely at the age of thirty seven in 1796, at home. Today, one can catch a glimpse of how his family and he lived, back in the late 1700’s. The desk and chair where he sat and composed are on display, as are many of his orginal manuscripts. On display there are personal items as well, that once belonged to his family.

If you are thinking about taking vacation in Scotland and you plan to spend some time in Dumfries you may wish to book your accommodation online and you will find listings of Dumfries accommodation and hotels at http://dumfries.hotelreservationhelper.com.