Wild Autumn

Cooler days beset with stunning colours and delicate frost sprinkled landscapes see the wildlife of Dumfries and Galloway working ever harder to ready itself for the coming months of less abundance and colder temperatures.

These magical landscapes say au revoir to their summer guests but quickly offer up a welcome to new arrivals that recognise the area as one of quiet plenty for the winter months.  The excitement of seeing the returning populations of geese and other winter visitors is palpable and the glory of the Red Deer rutting season offers truly magnificent sights and sounds.

Autumn is the time for topping up the reserves for the months ahead and here in Dumfries and Galloway is the perfect place to quietly enjoy doing just that; getting those last few walks in the sun and enjoying the best of the season’s nature based experiences, perhaps some of the best are:

• Red Deer at Galloway Forest Park, Newton Stewart
• Autumn colours at Shambellie, Carstramon Wood, Wood of Cree and Galloway Forest Park
• Barnacle Geese on the Solway (try RSPB Mersehead and WWT Caerlaverock)

Autumn is a particularly good time to experience the magic of the UKs first Dark Sky Park, a status given in recognition of the regions fantastic stargazing opportunities.  Please take a look at www.forestry.gov.uk/darkskygalloway to see how you can make your time here that little bit more magical.

Use the navigator bar at the side of the page to discover the range of events and other opportunities we have here in Dumfries and Galloway to get you closer to nature, to see and experience its excitement and its spectacles and to get in amongst its never ending stories.