Douglas Visitor Activities
The visitor activities at Douglas, though less formal than those at the Hirsel, nonetheless provide a variety of entertainment and interest for visitors.
Walks
Generations of Douglas residents have enjoyed both the formal walks in the Policies and those further afield – Pagie Hill and Windrow Wood as well as rambling over the Estate’s moorlands.
In 2006 a joint scheme, developed in conjunction with the DVRAP (Douglas Valley Rural Activity Partnership), created an all weather path in the Policies around the Stable Lake - which is enjoyed by young and old alike at all times of the year.
The Policies
The Douglas Castle Policies (captured in Sarah Peter’s amazing photography http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarah_peters1/ ) provide interest for visitors, both local and from further afield.
- Castle Dangerous, the remnants of the castle built in 1457, which inspired Sir Walter Scott’s novel of the same name, is a testimony to the resilience of the Douglas Family.
- The Cameronian Memorial unveiled in 1968, to honour the Regiment after 300 years of service, to both the County of Lanarkshire and the United Kingdom, on its disbandment is situated a mile away from where the Regiment was raised by the Earl of Angus in 1689.
- The Polish Memorial Garden commemorates the Polish allies of the United Kingdom who were based in the Policies during the Second World War.
- The Stable Lake, used for fishing by the local community during the coarse fishing season, and for curling by the Douglas Curling Club in the winter (when the lake freezes) plays host to hotly contested matches for the Happendon Cup.
- The undulating terrain and the permanent hunt jumps, create a perfect and challenging course for the Pony Club who hold regular Hunter Trials in the shadow of Castle Dangerous.
St. Sophia’s – The Douglas Heritage Museum
St. Sophia’s (a former Church, house, and school room) now tells the history of the local area. The story of Douglas Castle, the Cameronian Regiment, James Gavin and the Covenanters, the Douglas Family, the rise and fall of weaving and mining industries, and the lives of the people of Douglasdale are all told in this charming small Museum – just off Main Street.
The Ancient Church of St. Bride
St. Brides, with the tombs of the Douglas Family and the oldest (1565) working Town Clock in Scotland, makes for a very enjoyable and informative visit and should be combined with a visit to St. Sophia’s next door.
Douglas Water Golf Club
The charming Douglas Water Golf Club, set on a hill above the Douglas Water (from which it takes its name) is an undulating course with plateau greens, providing a challenging round for any standard of golfer. The Golf Club’s association with the Douglas-Home Family goes back to its origins in 1921 and still continue today.
Visitors to the Club are always welcome, except on occasional Saturdays when the course is closed for Club events.
Crawfordjohn Museum
Rural life is commemorated in the Crawfordjohn Museum, the former Church with its fascinating Churchyard, sits in a stunning position with wonderful views, overlooking the Duneaton Water and only a “stone’s throw” away from the popular Colebrook Arms pub – the heart of Crawfordjohn.