Dumfries and Galloway

I

Introduction

Dumfries and Galloway, unitary authority, south-western Scotland, bordered on the north by South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, and South Lanarkshire; on the east by Scottish Borders unitary authority; on the south by the English county of Cumbria and the Solway Firth; and on the west by the North Channel of the Irish Sea. Dumfries and Galloway came into existence as one of the eight administrative regions created on the Scottish mainland under the Scottish local government reforms of 1975. It was formed by the merger of the former counties of Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire, and Wigtownshire. The reform of local government in Scotland implemented on April 1, 1996, under the provisions of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill 1994, left the area of Dumfries and Galloway unchanged, but replaced the former two-tier local administrative structure of regional and district councils with a single-tier, all-purpose, unitary authority. Dumfries and Galloway has a land area of 6,369 sq km (2,459 sq mi) with some 320 km (200 mi) of coastline of sandy estuaries, bays, and cliffs. Communities of stone-built houses, often whitewashed, are scattered thinly.

II

Land and Resources

Moorland and mountains make up 60 per cent of Dumfries and Galloway, which is largely rural in character. To the north-west lies the Galloway Forest Park—the largest forest park in Scotland, with a total area of over 650 sq km (250 sq mi). Merrick (842 m/2,766 ft), the highest peak in southern Scotland, falls within the boundaries of the park and is part of the Southern Uplands range. Three areas have been designated as National Scenic Areas: the Nith estuary, Auchencairn Bay; and the Rough Firth, Fleet Bay, and Laver Fleet Valley. It is rich in wildlife: feral goats; red, fallow, and roe deer; and many birds, including the golden eagle. The north Inner Solway is one of the most important wintering grounds for wildfowl and waders in western Europe. Dumfries and Galloway is also the home of the rare natterjack toad. In the past the mineral wealth of Upper Nithsdale was the basis for lead mining and, more recently, coal-mining. The Scottish Museum of Lead Mining at Wanlockhead has capitalized on this history. There are sulphur springs at Moffat, which made the town a fashionable spa in the 19th century.

Numerous lochs are found in the region. The principal rivers are the Esk, the Annan, the Nith, the Dee, and the Cree. One of the first hydroelectric schemes in Scotland was built between 1929 and 1936 by damming the rivers Ken and Dee, forming reservoirs. The water supplies five generating stations.

III

Climate

Thanks to the moderating effects of the Gulf Stream, Dumfries and Galloway has the mildest climate in Scotland; the average winter temperature in the west is the same as that of Cornwall. Subtropical plants grow well. The summers are cool; average temperatures vary between 13° C (55° F) in the north-east to 15° C (59° F) in the south-west. The average rainfall varies from 700 mm (28 in) on the south-west coast to 1,550 mm (62 in) on the higher mountains in the north.

IV

Population and Administration

Dumfries and Galloway is a sparsely populated region with most of the estimated population of 147,765 (2001) living on the coastal plain and in the river valleys. Very few people speak Gaelic; only 1 in 275.

Dumfries is the largest town (1996, 38,000) and the administrative centre of the Dumfries and Galloway Council. It is also the headquarters of the Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary. The other main towns are Stranraer (1991, 11,348) and Annan (1991, 8,930). The other main settlements all have populations well below 5,000. They include Dalbeattie (1991, 4,421), the market town of Lockerbie (1991, 3,982), which became known internationally after a Pan American airliner crashed after a terrorist attack in 1988, killing everyone on board and 11 people on the ground, Castle Douglas (1991, 3,697), Newton Stewart (1991, 3,673), Kirkcudbright (1991, 3,588), and the spa town of Moffat (1991, 2,342). The unitary authority falls under the jurisdiction of Sheriffdom of South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway and there are sheriff courts at Dumfries and Kirkcudbright. Until April 1, 1996, there were four district councils—Annandale and Eskdale, Nithsdale, Stewartry, and Wigtown—as well as a regional council. They were replaced by the Dumfries and Galloway unitary authority.