Glencaple is a small settlement in the

Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway ( sco, Dumfries an Gallowa; gd, Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh) is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland and is located in the western Southern Uplands. It covers the counties of Scotland, historic counties of ...

area of

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. Situated on the banks of the

River Nith The River Nith ( gd, Abhainn Nid; Common Brittonic: ''Nowios'') is a river in south-west Scotland. The Nith rises in the Carsphairn hills of East Ayrshire, more precisely between Prickeny Hill and Enoch Hill, east of Dalmellington. For the ma ...

, it once served as a port for nearby

Dumfries Dumfries ( ; sco, Dumfries; from gd, Dùn Phris ) is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is located near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth about by road from the ...

. Glencaple is a

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

name meaning 'horse valley' from the words ''gleann'' 'narrow valley' and capall 'horse, mare'.

In the village

At the centre of the village is the old quay wit
The Boathouse
(modern eatery and shop), public toilets (not 24-hour) and public access defibrillator (old phone box). Across the road overlooking the quay is the histori
Nith Hotel
(meals and accommodation). Turn left from the quay, cross the bridge over the burn and you come t
Vintage on the Nith
(antique shop). At the very end of the village i
Nith Inshore Rescue
our independent (non-RNLI) lifeboat. A part-time Post Office operates twice a week from th
Barbour Hall
in Church Street. The village has
Primary School
and, opposite the school, an allotment site established in April 2020. New housing is being built at the southern end of the village (2021).

Local Community

Caerlaverock Estate has been in the same family for 800 years. Th
Caerlaverock Estate website
has information on places to stay, the estate farm and much more. Th
Caerlaverock Community Association website
has a wealth of up-to-date information about history, people and events, including the monthl
Scottish Women's Institute
meetings in Glencaple.

The Natural World

'
Tidal Bore
'' If conditions are right, a

bore Bore or Bores often refer to: *Boredom * Drill Relating to holes * Boring (manufacturing), a machining process that enlarges a hole ** Bore (engine), the diameter of a cylinder in a piston engine or a steam locomotive ** Bore (wind instruments), ...

can sometimes be seen sweeping up the river as high tide approaches. Wildlife The area’s bird life is one of the reasons people visit Glencaple. The mud exposed at low tide attracts large numbers of wildfowl and waders in autumn and winter. The merse (saltmarsh) across the river is home to Barnacle Geese in winter and breeding waders and skylarks in summer. Protected Areas
Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve
starts just to the south of the village. Glencaple lies within th
Solway Firth SPA
(Special Protection Area - designated Dec 2020), th
Solway Firth SAC
(Special Area of Conservation) and th
Nith Estuary National Scenic Area
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust’
WWT Caerlaverock
reserve is 4 miles to the south. Walking Tracks lead along the merse to the north and south of the village but check the tides first. Up Church Street and on up the Quay Hill waymarked paths leave the road to left and right.

Other places of interest

Caerlaverock Castle

Opening of The Boathouse, 2012

On 7 September 2012, Princess Alexandra opened the

Caerlaverock Caerlaverock (; gd, Cille Bhlàthain) is a civil parish in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The parish was historically in Dumfriesshire. The area includes: * Caerlaverock Castle, a 13th-century castle, located south of Dumfries, Scotland * Ca ...

Shop and Tearoom in Glencaple, accompanied by the Lord-Lieutenant of Dumfries, Jean Tulloch. The tearoom was originally operated by Lady Mary Mumford, a former lady-in-waiting to Princess Alexandra, and her sister, Baroness Herries. It is now overseen by Lady Clare Kerr, Lady Mary's niece.

References

Villages in Dumfries and Galloway {{DumfriesGalloway-geo-stub