St Johns Town of Dalry

St Johns Town of Dalry Village is in Dumfries & Galloway southwest Scotland, 33 miles southeast of Ayr, 16 miles northwest of Castle Douglas, 26 miles northwest of Dumfries on the A713 road.

St Johns Town of Dalry attracts visitors for Outdoor Attractions, Walking and Hiking with the 2,671ft Corserine Mountain on the Rhinns of Kells range 3 miles north. There are 10 Mountains on that range over 2,000ft.

The 212 mile long Southern Upland Way Walking Route passes through the Village, with many Walkers using the Inn, Hotel and B&Bs.

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Camping & Touring Parks in area

The image top is looking down the Main Street to the Village centre.

The Village centre has the Bank, Clachan Inn, Village Hall and Church.

The Clachan Inn is popular for good Beer, Food and Accommodation.

The War Memorial is at the bottom of the Main Street at the entrance to Dalry Church.

St John's Town of Dalry Parish Church was completed in 1832. The Church sits high above the Graveyard, a very scenic spot. This Church contains remains of an earlier Church from 1546.

The Lochinvar Hotel is at the south side of the Village by the Church. The Hotel offers Drinks, Meals, Accommodation and Walking breaks. This Hotel used to have Ivy all over the front, Green in Summer and Red in Winter. The Ivy was removed in 2016?

The Kids Play area is at the School on the south side of the Village. The Metal Sculpture at the Kids Play is in honour of Covenanters from the area that were Executed in the 1680s.

The Rhinns of Kells Mountain Range is in the Forest Estate 3 miles north of Dalry. There are a number of routes to hike this Mountain, or down the whole Range crossing 10 Mountains.

Down the whole Range is a real Challenging Hike. Hike Information.

St Johns Town of Dalry History

Remains of Neolithic Cairns, Bronze Age Circles, and Iron Age Hillforts can be found in the Area.

1200s - the Village grew with trade from Pilgrims traveling between Edinburgh and St Ninian's Church at Whithorn, the first Christian Church in Scotland.

The Knights Hospitaller of the Order of St John owned much of the land around Dalry at that time, why the Village name is St Johns Town of Dalry.

1546 - the first modern Church is completed.

1637 - Charles I forced a new prayer book on Scots, leading to some Scots rebelling. These Scots were known as Covenanters, many from the Dalry area.

1680 - The Killing Time began after troops of Charles II began hunting down and Executing Covenanters.

1700s - the Settlement here was enlarged to plans of the Earl of Galloway.

1700s - the Lochinver Hotel was built as a Coaching Inn on the road between Castle Douglas and Ayr.

1832 - the present day Church is completed to replace the earlier Church.

1930s - the Galloway Hydroelectric Power Scheme was built connecting about seven Lochs down the Valley.

The highest loch is Loch Enoch at about 1600 feet, next to the 2,766ft Merrick Mountain. Water flows from there through other lochs including Loch Doon at about 600ft.

The water then runs down past Carsphairn and other Lochs with Hydro Plants on the north side of Dalry.

1970s - large areas were planted with fast growing Spruce Trees for the Timber Industry, now known as the Galloway Forest Park.

Many Sheep Farms were used for Tree Growing at that time.

Part of the Forest agreement was, the Forest Commission would Maintain Paths onto the Mountains, and look after Historic Attractions in the Area.

1984 - the 212 mile long Coast to Coast Southern Upland Way Walking Route opened, passing through Dalry.

2004 - the Covenanters Sculpture was erected in Dalry.

2010s - much of the Galloway Forest Park starts to to be cut down for Timber. Most of the areas cut down are being re-planted.