Home Report Wigtown

Wigtown is a village and former royal burgh of roughly 900 residents in Dumfries and Galloway. It lies roughly 26 miles east of Stranraer and roughly 7 miles south of Newton Stewart. Historically the town’s economy was based around agriculture and its port, but today the service industry, particularly tourism, is the largest sector of the local economy.

Wigtown is Scotland’s National Book Town, which might be surprising to hear given its size. The Wigtown Book Festival is held annually to celebrate literature and culture. It has grown to be the second largest book festival in the country, second only to the Edinburgh International Book Festival. It is also home to a wide range of independent bookshops – more than you think would be for a town of this size – and there are also plenty of places to eat out within the town and other independent retailers, catering to the influx of visitors annually.

Wigtown is also a gateway to exploring the Machars peninsula, a stretch of rolling coastline with enormous geological and animal variety and interest that attracts thousands of visitors annually. Part of this area of interest includes Wigtown Bay Local Nature Reserve, the largest Local Nature Reserve in Great Britain, where visitors can see wildlife, particularly birds all year round. The nearby River Bladnoch is also a particular draw for locals and visitors, as it can be fished for Atlantic salmon. Indeed, it has historically been well known as one of Scotland’s finest rivers producing spring fish.