Walks, beaches, eating, drinking and places of interest in the local area

Local area guide

This is our guide to great places to explore nearby.

On your doorstep, Portling Beach approximately 200m follow the stone lane down to the beach. 

The weather and tide times

 Dalbeattie Forest,  The Forest is within walking distance from The Sea Cubby approximately 1 mile. There are many entrances into the forest along the A710 towards Dalbeattie from Portling. There is also private walking, cycling, or horse riding access into the forest if you take a right turn out of Portling onto the A710 and then the next left into an estate called New Barns, follow the road till you reach the forest gates.Please note sometimes the gate on the road is closed and has a sign on it to protect the sheep grazing there. Always close the gate and put your dog/s on the lead.

Dalbeattie Forest - Colvend Entrance. When you look at Colvend shop there is a village hall to the right of it and a lane. Follow the lane to the bottom and you will see the signs for the forest. There are walking trails and cycling tracks.

Colvend Shop  is the nearest supermarket in walking distance 1.5 miles away a grocery store that had everything you could need for your Lodge Kitchen, plus there is a fantastic tea room with home baked goodies. The shop stocks where it can locally produced food. Local milk from Roans farm, large free range local eggs, Galloway ice cream to name just a few. There are frozen meals, fresh fruit and vegetables a good selection of wines and beer including local craft beers, flowers and plants, gift cards etc. There is an in house bakery so you can pop along for the paper and smell fresh, warm croissants and pain chocolad! The owners also have their own farm and polytunnels producing seasonal fruit and vege, strawberries.

Colvend Golf Club

The nearest Golf Club is again in walking distance 1 mile away. It's a beautiful course overlooking the solway firth. Our guests can play as tourists for £20 a round. We are also social members so if you just want to go for a walk and stop into the club for a drink or some lunch, up to 4 people can without even touching a golf club. It's a very friendly, relaxed, informal club. The Stewards are also offering numerous events and entertainment throught the season Wilma and Andy.

Barend Restaurant and bar, there is also an indoor swimming pool here.

Kippford Forest a community woodland access on Auchensheen Lane off the A710 to Dalbeattie. There isn't a signpost for this woodland, but it also joins up with the main coastal path. Kippford-Rockliffe-Portling.

Mabie Forest near Dumfries,

Ae Forest in Dumfries,

Kirroughtree in Galloway.

The 7 Stanes mountain biking Dalbeattie Forest, walking trails, lochside trails and wildlife.

The Coastal path includes Kippford – Rockcliffe – Portling – Sandyhills.

Merse Head Nature Reserve – You can see this nature reserve from the cabin. It is an extensive wetland and salt marsh area situated on the North Shore of the solway. It's a haven for breeding waders, wintering waterfowl and year-round bird and wildlife watching. Barnacle Geese come in their thousands, Lapwings and Skylarks.

Loch Ken – Galloway Water sports and outdoor activity centre.

Sailing and water skiing in Kippford.

Golf – Colvend Golf Club, Cragieknowes Golf Club Kippford, Dalbeattie Golf Club, Southerness Golf Club.

Fishing – Fly Fishing, Sea Fishing, Course Fishing.

Threave Gardens.

Dalbeattie Museum.

Castle Douglas – named the food town, also Carlinglark Loch, Loch Ken, Galloway Kite Trail.

Kirkudbright – named the art town, Kirkudbright Art Gallery.

Cocoa Bean Factory – Twynholm.

Laggan Outdoors – Gatehouse of Fleet.

Galloway Wildlife Conservation Park.

Castles – Drumlanrig, Lochinch, Cardoness, Cavearloch.

Places to eat – The Clonyard House Hotel, Colvend DG5 4PW (lunch and evening meals/bar). Colvend Golf Club DG5 4PY (lunch/bar). The Mariner Kippford DG5 4LB (lunch and evening meals/bar). The Anchor Kippford DG5 4LN (lunch and evening meals/bar). Barend Restaurant and bar, Sandy Hills DG5 4NU (lunch and evening meals/bar). The Arc Kippford DG5 4LN (tea room, daytime). Loch Arthur Farm shop Beeswing DG2 8JQ (tea room, daytime). Eats and Treats Cafe Colvend DG5 4QD (tea room, daytime).

Dalbeattie - Italian Restaurant Luigi's DG5 4AH (lunch and evening meals/bar). The Kings Arms Hotel DG5 4HA (lunch and evening meals/bar). Fish and chips, takeaways.