Newton Stewart

Between Christmas and New Year 2019 we spent three nights in the Creebridge House Hotel in Newton Stewart, Dumfries and Galloway. Apart from this one photograph of the hotel (which was excellent, by the way) we don’t seem to have taken any pictures of Newton Stewart during the day, but the it looked very pretty by night as you can see below.
On the way there and back we stopped both times for lunch in the excellent Balkenna Tearoom just outside Girvan on the Ayrshire coast. I loved their quirky collection of teapots, of which this is a small selection.
On the way home we also stopped in Girvan because the views over to Ailsa Craig and Arran were just stunning.
In the next couple of posts, I’ll tell you what we got up to during our short stay.

Great teapots! I really like the elephant one, especially because it seems to just show elephants being elephants. It can be challenging to find elephant themed stuff that doesn’t encourage their exploitation! I’ve seen a lot of otherwise cute circus print dresses and things over the years, but I refuse to buy anything that shows elephants doing circus tricks etc, because I find it depressing and don’t want to be promoting that kind of animal abuse, even in a fabric!
LikeLike
You’re right, I hadn’t thought about it from that point of view. It’s just an elephant and an elephant baby.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The lighting is beautiful
So many teapots! So cute
LikeLike
The teapots are lovely. Glad they’re not mine to dust though!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Or to guard from cat curiosity!
LikeLike
😆
LikeLike
I love the teapots !!!
LikeLike
They are very cute!
LikeLike
Fabulous . . . you are right you do have a lot of posts up your sleeve!
LikeLike
Only another three of recent material though, and the retrospective Australian story I was about to start writing when we spoke hasn’t got very far. So I might be joining you in July, but not every day. It struck me that the masses of photos accumulating in lockdown would lend themselves to a Perspectives on Glasgow series, so watch this space!
LikeLiked by 1 person
ooh yes a Glaswegian Perspective would be fabulous.
However I am also anxious to hear your Australian story. Is the challenge sorting the photos or finding the words?
LikeLike
Well, partly I just haven’t made enough time for it, and also too many words! I thought I might do the whole thing in two or three posts but having started it I see that’s wildly optimistic. So I’d rather get it all finished before publishing one and losing momentum.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Can never have too many words from you xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those teapots are stunning, and I love that footbridge too.
LikeLike
Yes, it’s particularly pretty at night.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d love to stay at that hotel! And your photos are wonderful. I especially appreciate them now that I can’t travel….it’s fun to see the photos of the places I’d visit if I could!
LikeLike
And it’s fun to see all the places I HAVE visited, and would go back to, if I could! Thanks Ann.
LikeLike
Such a lovely place to visit, especially with the Christmas lights and Santa on a bench. Love the teapot collection too. I have a friend here who has teapots on a high shelf all around her kitchen. When i look at them, I silently wonder how they get dusted. 😀
LikeLike
Probably best to keep that wonder silent! She might ask you to help 😱.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah what I’d give for a sojourn on the west coast just now….
LikeLike
One can but dream.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Night pix look lovely and I’m glad to see Santa has a day-job as well as his ‘handing out presents’ one which always seemed a doddle to me. The wellies set his outfit off to a T…
LikeLike
He doesn’t seem to be exerting himself much in this job!
LikeLike
Father Christmas looks a bit sad!
LikeLike
Well, Christmas was over so he was probably feeling a bit deflated!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely photos Anabel. That hotel looks so appealing. I’m seriously in need of a few days away and am hoping we don’t have an escalation of Covid that stops me visiting my dad next month.
LikeLike
I hope not! I feel that need too: the cottage we have booked in August (postponed from Easter) is looking a likely prospect at the moment if the Covidiots behave themselves. Police closed Kelvingrove Park yesterday because of huge gatherings, but there’s a thunderstorm going on today so only the most intrepid would gather in that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It does look very nice and I’ll be interested to read more.
LikeLike
It’s beautiful down there, and less busy than going north so we always enjoy it and find it relaxing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
An intriguing place to stay! Blue skies, tasty lunches, and lots of lights between Christmas and New Years. Sounds like the perfect combination to me. Especially since there were activities to be had as well… in your next post. 🙂
LikeLike
It’s a pretty part of the country, Liesbet, and one that doesn’t get quite so many tourists as some other areas, so we always find it relaxing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Passed through N.S. quite a few times on the way to other places over the years but it’s telling we,ve never stopped there to look around. Your photos make it appear interesting though. It’s a funny place without any real centre to it…. but maybe that’s just my impression.
LikeLike
It has quite a few shops along the main street, and a big square at the top with the town buildings, so I suppose that’s the centre. It’s a nice base for a few gentle days in D&G.
LikeLike
Wonderful photos. It looks like you had good weather for your winter break 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks. The best weather was on the journey home!
LikeLike
Great photos, Christmas and New Year in Scotland would be fabulous. Always fancied staying up there over the festive period.
LikeLike
This was in between the two – we always try to get a few days away then to regroup!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pretty pictures of the bridges, Anabel! 🙂
LikeLike
Yes, three pretty bridges in one small town is quite an achievement!
LikeLike
I love the teapot collection, Annabel. I have a much smaller, slightly less quirky collection of teapots myself. This is a great reminder for me to search out a truly quirky one. I look forward to reading what you got up to during your short stay.
LikeLike
I loved the teapots, there were at least two other sets of shelves full of them. Not much fun to dust though …
LikeLike
I think I have been to Newton Stewart when I was a wee one ( my family always had one touring caravan holiday a year round Scotland) but I don’t much remember it. In more recent times though Wil and I stayed at Castle Kennedy in Dumfries & Galloway and had a lovely week there. We did go out for a drive somewhere one day and saw views of Ailsa Craig, which reminded me of a Tunnocks tea cake. X
LikeLike
It’s exactly the right shape for a Tunnock’s teacake, I hadn’t thought of that! We visited Castle Kennedy last time we were in D&G but not this time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice post. Always fun to follow your gallivanting around Scotland. I wish I could go back to visit soon; it is such a beautiful country. (Suzanne)
LikeLike
Thanks, Suzanne – I wish I could visit more of it too at the moment!
LikeLike
I’ll be going there when I get to walking that bit of the coast. At least I have a recommendation of somewhere to stay! I should have made it to Girvan on one of my cancelled trips from earlier in the year, though I did see Ailsa Craig further north along the coast.
LikeLike
It’s a beautiful part of the coast. So have you done the north-west coast already? I know your posts are a bit behind.
LikeLike
No. I also started heading north from south west Scotland!
LikeLike
Ah! A pincer movement.
LikeLike
We loved our week in Dumfries and Galloway, and that hotel does look very attractive. I’d love to go up the coast in Ayrshire – those views are incredible.
LikeLike
We were very lucky to get that sunshine on the way home! The two days in between were a little more challenging.
LikeLike
Looks like a nice place to be at Christmas. I like the look of the first bridge, and those views from Girvan are gorgeous 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was a lovely place, and the hotel was really good. I hope it survives!
LikeLike