Wren’s Nest
The Easter weekend coincided with John’s birthday this year, so as a gift I booked a short break in Dumfries and Galloway. Our accommodation, Wren’s Nest, was bijou (read tiny), a former farm building converted into a one-room cottage, but it was perfect for our needs. (There’s also a larger cottage, sleeping four, on site.) The owner, Janet, lived next door in the farmhouse and was an absolutely lovely person, so helpful. Not only that, she provided champagne for our first night! Apparently, we were the first people ever to stay in Wren’s Nest so this was a lovely way of marking that. (Both cottages can be booked via holidaycottages.co.uk).
The nearest town of any size was Newton Stewart and we stopped here for a look around on our way down to the cottage. Despite the dreich* weather we took a circular walk between two bridges over the River Cree.
Fortunately, the next day dawned brighter and we set off to celebrate John’s birthday on the Isle of Whithorn.
* Dreich (Urban Dictionary definition) – A combination of dull, overcast, drizzly, cold, misty and miserable weather. At least 4 of the above adjectives must apply before the weather is truly dreich.
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
LOL! Maybe I’m funny, but I kind of like dreich weather 🙂
The place looks lovely.
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I appreciate it more when I return home after being somewhere sunny!
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Looks like an interesting place to visit. I love the way the flowering bush and your jacket pop with color in the midst!
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Yes, I liked that! Everything was a bit grey otherwise.
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Sounds like you found a good place!
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We did indeed, thanks!
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What a gorgeous wee cottage. I’m glad you enjoyed your stay, despite the weather.
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We did enjoy it: we just have to be accepting of the weather and get on with it as I’m sure you’ve experienced!
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Absolutely. NZ is pretty much a warmer version of Scotland in that respect. As our (albeit weird) weatherman said on TV last night “by the end of the week you’ll all be on first name terms with your raincoat.” Go figure!
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I always like the intensifier ‘gey’ as in ‘gey dreich!’
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Good point!
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The Scots have proper rain and proper words for rain unlike us soft southerners!!
Not been to Dumfries & Galloway since my teens….such happy memories as it is where I saw my first wild otter 😀
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Fantastic! I think I’ve only ever seen one in the wild.
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I’ve been very fortunate on country walks….but to see one once is special so enjoy that memory 😊
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It looks like a cozy place to be on a bad-weather-trip!
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It was – though glad we didn’t get too wet as drying soaking wet clothes would have been tricky.
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I’ve always loved that word “dreich.” Unfortunately, you can generally find at least four of those adjectives that apply to the weather in Scotland 🙂
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And all apply today!
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