Galloway Activity Centre
Galloway Activity Centre
5
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Full view
About
Welcome to the Galloway Activity Centre. We are situated on the banks of Loch Ken in south west Scotland and have an exciting range of activities for families, individuals and groups alike. Here you will find details of our services & facilities including activities, courses, equipment hire, accommodation and holiday packages. Choose from: Sailing, Windsurfing, Powerboating, Kayaking, Canoeing, Outdoor Laser Tag, Archery, Mountain Biking, Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Giant Water Slide, Climbing and more...Our aim is to give you a memorable holiday in a safe and friendly family atmosphere. We look forward to welcoming you.
Castle Douglas, Scotland
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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5.0
684 reviews
Excellent
603
Very good
62
Average
13
Poor
3
Terrible
3
thelaminator2
Kettering, UK71 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
We booked the safari tent Saturday to wednesday. 2 adults and 3 boys aged 16, 11 and 9.
On arrival we had the Covid precautions explained to us how the yurts and our tent had our own shower and toilet facilities etc.
We had a wood basket delivered to the tent.
When we went to use the BBQ supplied we found the legs were loose making it unstable and difficult to use but after some DIY we found it usable.
We were told the site was an enforced quiet site after 10.30pm but obviously no one told the people camping who were singing dancing and playing music until gone midnight disturbing my children's sleep and making what I had planned as a quiet romantic evening under the stars with my wife.
The next day the kids played in the loch, wet suit hire was very reasonable unlike some of the other activities.
We thought about a game of laser tag but the £100 price tag for the five of us was too much to stomach.
The inflatables in the loch were not for public use due to Covid fears and a half days hire was £250
Imagine our dismay on Monday and Tuesday evenings watching other campers wait until the public left then head out and use the inflatables for free without paying for about three hours
I eventually informed the night Watchmen and he got the 3 people off the inflatables but trying to explain to 2 children with ADHD why they couldn't use them was not easy.
The staff were very helpful and friendly, the site clean and the safari tent was comfortable and it coped with the torrential thunderstorm without any drama.
Take a can of fly spray as the fly's love hanging out in the tent.
Overall a good experience tarnished by other site users flouting rules.
On arrival we had the Covid precautions explained to us how the yurts and our tent had our own shower and toilet facilities etc.
We had a wood basket delivered to the tent.
When we went to use the BBQ supplied we found the legs were loose making it unstable and difficult to use but after some DIY we found it usable.
We were told the site was an enforced quiet site after 10.30pm but obviously no one told the people camping who were singing dancing and playing music until gone midnight disturbing my children's sleep and making what I had planned as a quiet romantic evening under the stars with my wife.
The next day the kids played in the loch, wet suit hire was very reasonable unlike some of the other activities.
We thought about a game of laser tag but the £100 price tag for the five of us was too much to stomach.
The inflatables in the loch were not for public use due to Covid fears and a half days hire was £250
Imagine our dismay on Monday and Tuesday evenings watching other campers wait until the public left then head out and use the inflatables for free without paying for about three hours
I eventually informed the night Watchmen and he got the 3 people off the inflatables but trying to explain to 2 children with ADHD why they couldn't use them was not easy.
The staff were very helpful and friendly, the site clean and the safari tent was comfortable and it coped with the torrential thunderstorm without any drama.
Take a can of fly spray as the fly's love hanging out in the tent.
Overall a good experience tarnished by other site users flouting rules.
Written 16 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your review, great to hear you enjoyed your stay. Glad you managed to get the BBQ sorted, we could have replaced quite easily if there was an issue.
So sorry you had issues with noisy guests. All customers are informed of the quite time by email before arrival and then on arrival in their welcome pack. Our night watchman does a walk around between 2230-2300 to remind anyone who is still awake. We have the night watchman's phone number displayed around the site and also on people's welcome pack. If there are any noise disturbances during the night they're only a phone call away to deal with any issues. I'm not sure what happened with this and whether the noise pollution was brought to his attention or not but I'm sorry it affected your evening.
The wobbly waterpark is usually an instructor led activity but due to COVID we have unfortunately not been able to run our usual sessions where the instructor is in the water and on the obstacles with customers. It is still a supervised activity though and there is a very real risk of drowning so thank you for informing us that people were using them during the night.
Thanks again for your review. I'm sorry that your enjoyment was reduced due to other customers behaviour but I'm glad you still managed to have a good stay and hopefully we'll see you again in the future.
Written 21 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
nicmac1405
Barrow-in-Furness, UK596 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
Excellent watersport facilities, covid I would say probably helped as it wasn't over run & busy. It was just right for the amount of people visiting.
Kids loved the paddle boarding which we rented, for £30, I would recommend this over the other option as you get the whole 3 hours rather than an instructor teaching you then going out for the same amount of time for £50.
Plus, as there were 6 of us we hired 3 boards & just kept swapping.
Not a lot to do if you're just spectating but a lovely afternoon enjoyed by us all, and the dog.
Kids loved the paddle boarding which we rented, for £30, I would recommend this over the other option as you get the whole 3 hours rather than an instructor teaching you then going out for the same amount of time for £50.
Plus, as there were 6 of us we hired 3 boards & just kept swapping.
Not a lot to do if you're just spectating but a lovely afternoon enjoyed by us all, and the dog.
Written 30 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your feedback, great to hear you had an enjoyable time with us :)
Written 2 October 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
thistle-do-nicely
Kilmarnock, UK850 contributions
Jul 2020
We had a couple of days activity here while staying in New Galloway. My son and I rented a canoe, he also did a windsurfing session and the climbing wall & zip wire session. The only downside was the price difference between a single person and a group. My son was charged £54.50 for the climbing wall & zip wire session as he was booked as a single. We learned others were paying as little as £33 for the same session. Given the post-lockdown rules, and bubbles etc it is understandable that the more, the cheaper - however the price differnce between a single child and a small group of three kids being £21+ is excessive IMO. When I became aware of this, I brought this up at reception and after some discussion, we reached a compromise.
My son, of course, oblivious to this as 10yo tend to be had a great time, and we would return, although only with a few of his friends.
Particular mention to instructor, Caitlin(?), who was incredibly patient with all three kids in my son's wind-surfing session.
My son, of course, oblivious to this as 10yo tend to be had a great time, and we would return, although only with a few of his friends.
Particular mention to instructor, Caitlin(?), who was incredibly patient with all three kids in my son's wind-surfing session.
Written 4 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your feedback. Great to hear you enjoyed your time here and I'll pass on your comments to Caitlin. I'm sorry that you felt the activity was not good value for money but I'm glad we managed to find a compromise on the day.
Just to clarify the other group on the activity paid £33 per person not £33 in total. We understand that days out get expensive for those with multiple children so we offer a discount to make it more affordable for bigger families. This means that the other family on the 3 hour Climbing Tower experience your son took part in paid £132 for four participants whilst you paid £54.50. This price has not changed due to coronavirus despite one person taking up a larger number of spaces on many activity sessions than a same family group/bubble. We hire qualified outdoor instructors and the high ropes activities are understandably some of the most costly to run in terms of equipment, training, facility maintenance and inspections. During your three hour session your son got to take part in the Climbing Wall, Zip Wire, Leap of Faith, Crate Climbing and the Giant Swing. All his equipment and all the harnesses he used were sterilised before and after use. After speaking to you and realising that you were not happy I personally joined the high ropes session to make sure that your son had a great experience. Although I feel like this is fantastic value at £54.50 we have taken your feedback on board and lowered the one person half day price to £45 for the remainder of the summer. None of our prices have increased during the coronavirus pandemic, despite the increases in costs we have incurred. We have however made many changes to the way we are delivering sessions, their timings and what is included and will be reviewing our prices again after the summer.
Thank you again for your feedback, both leaving us a review but especially for coming down on the day and speaking to us. It's much better to be told when someone isn't happy so that we can do something about it and I'm glad that your son managed to have an enjoyable experience with us. I'm delighted that you decided to book in again with more participants and we'll look forward to seeing you back down at the centre this week.
Written 8 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JohnMason1957
Glasgow, UK227 contributions
Aug 2020 • Solo
I ws glad to find a campsite that was open and operating in this area. Toilets were open but no showers. I felt this was a bit strict as other campsites had showers open. However, I enjoyed my 3 nights staying here and it was very good value at only £10.50 per night.
Written 6 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I make no apologies for following government guidelines and restricting the use of the loos to two people at a time. This means it is impossible to utilise our showering facilities. Of course during normal times we do have showers and changing facilities and our guests are free to use them. Sadly for everyone these are not normal times. My priority and focus is to try and keep everyone safe - the virus as you might know thrives in vapour and aerosol so as advertised and advised to all our customers before they come here, I am afraid showering takes second precedence over the well being and safety of all that pass through this centre.
Richard
Written 19 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Anna
4 contributions
Dec 2019 • Family
We stayed in the dome for 2 nights in December and loved it. Nicely decorated, new, clean and cosy. It was very windy and it rained but we couldn’t really feel it, even though the dome is on a hill and exposed. We enjoyed it very much and appreciated privacy as it has a lot of space around. There is plenty to do and see in the area. We brought food which was already cooked and just needed reheated and, because of the weather, it was the best decision. We had a little problem which we didn’t bother the warden with but when we pointed it out before leaving we received a lovely, reassuring email. Highly recommend as we brought a lot of memories home, despite the weather 😊
Written 17 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GlasgowTraveller80
Glasgow, UK114 contributions
Jul 2021 • Friends
Everything about the experience, from booking to the activity itself was straightforward. Instructors and staff were brilliant. Changing facilities are currently closed but this was all communicated well in advance so we could plan to wear swimming costumes under our clothes to change on arrival.
Wet suits, life jackets etc are all provided.
Our instructor, Alex was brilliant. We were a mixed group of 6 including my family of 3 along with 3 individuals ranging age from 8-18. Alex made sure each and every one of us was capable of carrying out the basic manoeuvres before letting us loose. Even though there was a massive rain/thunder storm at the start of our activity, he still took time to make sure we were comfortable and understood what we were doing.
We then set off gradually to a point in the loch before returning to the beach, did this a couple of times then set off to the other side where we had time to swim, then warm up again with a couple of games on the boards before setting back off to the starting point.
Nothing was too much hassle for Alex (and I think my daughter talked his ears off on the way back!) - He is a credit to the centre! I would recommend the activity, and we will definitely be back to do it again!
Wet suits, life jackets etc are all provided.
Our instructor, Alex was brilliant. We were a mixed group of 6 including my family of 3 along with 3 individuals ranging age from 8-18. Alex made sure each and every one of us was capable of carrying out the basic manoeuvres before letting us loose. Even though there was a massive rain/thunder storm at the start of our activity, he still took time to make sure we were comfortable and understood what we were doing.
We then set off gradually to a point in the loch before returning to the beach, did this a couple of times then set off to the other side where we had time to swim, then warm up again with a couple of games on the boards before setting back off to the starting point.
Nothing was too much hassle for Alex (and I think my daughter talked his ears off on the way back!) - He is a credit to the centre! I would recommend the activity, and we will definitely be back to do it again!
Written 31 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi,
What an amazing review! I'll pass this along to Alex who will be beaming from ear to ear with this comment! I am glad the activity as a success and you got a lot out of the 3 hours. We hope to see you again in the future.
Have a nice rest of the day.
Written 15 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nosam
Livingston, UK4 contributions
Jul 2020 • Solo
Very busy campsite. Just back from a week camping, had a great relaxing time. Amazing friendly staff/instructors who could not do enough to help you. Campsite grounds a bit untidy (grass not cut, weeds overgrown at chemical waste point and kitchen area) and owners dogs (2 wee spaniels - belonged to main house) roaming and pooing where they like and barking at a child walking past who was petrified and another camper stood between child and dog to let the child go past. Staff were good at picking up poo when told about it but I feel dogs should have been under better supervision. Owner of wee collie dog (who was a staff member) very responsible and noticed he picked up after his dog all the time and dog was very friendly. Inside - cafe/reception and toilets immaculately clean with cleaning going on several times a day. Fabulous location for kayaking but not so great for walks. I feel that a grounds maintenance person would be a good idea as ash bin was overflowing, bin area was a mess and grounds could defo be cleaner and tidier outside, a hose would also be handy at chemical waste as there was nothing to rinse/clean portable loo. Not one person checked the camping grounds for rubbish etc in the whole week I was there. Owners also didn’t appear overly friendly and rarely said hi. Staff are absolutely a credit to this place and in my opinion what makes it such a success for activities etc. very basic facilities that could do with a facelift.
Written 2 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi
Thanks for the feedback. Yes you are right the staff are a great credit to the centre. All points taken (particularly about the dogs which we are on the case with). I am glad you have had a great stay with us despite the grounds being a little unkempt – this is not our norm but we have been stretched this year. Instead of our normal 42 staff at this time of year (including someone dedicated to looking after the grounds) we have 14 with myself and the management team doing our best to keep the grass manicured as well as keeping the centre afloat, the equipment safe and the clubhouse sanitised! Keeping on top of everything is a challenge. We do a litter pick and dog pooh patrol daily, thus your comment above is a little disingenuous. I also continue to pick up litter and pooh (when appropriate) throughout the day - every day! Wouldn't it be nice if everyone put their litter in the bins provided and picked up after their dogs?
I am sorry if you felt I did not have time or interest to say hi to you - certainly not the message I try to give. But, to be fair I have had quite a few distractions on my plate at the moment. My wife and myself have been working some crazy hours since 23 March, fighting for the survival of our business. I can't tell you how depressing it is to be told we do not care – it is simply not the case. We are running at about 30% of our normal capacity and this is stretching us and is keeping me preoccupied trying to find a way through this mess. My priority and focus has been to protect my staff, their welfare and their livelihoods and provide a covid-safe environment for our customers and the local community.
We feel the priority for cleanliness is inside where everyone is at most risk. We have also adapted our activities to make them as safe as we can. This is where we have directed our efforts, at the expense of areas like the upkeep of the grounds. My wife and myself personally clean the toilets and accommodation units daily but I am glad you have picked up on how clean they are. I personally electrostatic every single room in the centre regularly (well beyond the guidelines). We are doing everything we can to keep everyone safe but still have a lovely experience here at GAC. Heather and I have risk assessed, we have scrubbed, we have adapted, we have scrounged, we have pleaded, we have borrowed, we have been to hell on a one way ticket. But, most importantly, we have managed to remain open even if the grass in the campsite has not been cut since last week. We have also managed to keep our prices the same despite the extra burdens taken on by the team to keep everyone safe. Many other businesses have hiked up their prices to allow for the extra cleaning and pressures put on businesses due to covid. We have absorbed this but something has to give. You make a fair point about the elsan disposal – there is no running water, so a hose is a great idea but simply not possible, but the point is acknowledged. We will leave a barrel of water and a jug up there to help facilitate cleaning.
If you would like to discuss this response please e mail me the centre email address and I will personally respond. In the meantime I hope you will accept a retrospective hi from myself and Heather. I apologise if I appeared distracted - most likely I was! Oh, the dogs say hi too...... :)
Written 3 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Daniel K
Rockbeare, UK1 contribution
Aug 2021 • Family
Awesome fun, great for the whole family. Kids loved it, our instructor Ian was great!!! Super friendly and really enhanced the fun. Especially good if you have a slightly nervous child- the instructors really bring them out of their shell. Great fun at affordable prices, the staff in the cafe could not have been more accommodating, getting our hot drinks and snacks ready for coming off the water. I would definitely recommend to anyone interested I. Good old fashioned out door fun. THANKS GAC!
Written 16 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Daniel,
Thanks for this amazing review! I will pass this onto Iain who will be delighted with this feedback!
We hope to see you back soon!
GAC
Written 30 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mr A
15 contributions
May 2021 • Family
Four of us (two adults, two children) took double canoes out on the loch for half a day. Staff were extremely helpful and friendly. We spent a glorious, relaxing three hours paddling around the loch looking at the wildlife. Would strongly recommend it and can’t wait to come back and do it again.
Written 4 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your visit and review. Great to hear you enjoyed your time here and we'll look forward to seeing you again in the future
Written 20 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lucy B
3 contributions
Apr 2021 • Couples
We had a very positive experience with Richard, who communicated in a very thoughtful manner from before our stay with easy to follow directions & local amenities shared, to during, lending us buoyancy aids and a couple of wetsuits to get the most out of our time at Loch Ken.
Exceptional care had been taken to ensure our health and wellbeing remained paramount during our stay (given the current climate) and precautions to ensure social distancing and effective hand washing was implemented through a lock safe deposit, sustainable cleaning products/ hand sanitizer provided.
The Eco Bothy is finished to an incredible standard.
You appriciate the time and passion that has gone into the bones of the property, the second you first set eyes upon the building, the local craftsmanship is phenomenal.
During our stay we continued to be inspired and impressed. From the ceramic tableware, to the bathroom tiles. Truly faultless.
It was so very clear to see the abundant care behind every decision & we cannot reccomend this place enough.
Exceptional care had been taken to ensure our health and wellbeing remained paramount during our stay (given the current climate) and precautions to ensure social distancing and effective hand washing was implemented through a lock safe deposit, sustainable cleaning products/ hand sanitizer provided.
The Eco Bothy is finished to an incredible standard.
You appriciate the time and passion that has gone into the bones of the property, the second you first set eyes upon the building, the local craftsmanship is phenomenal.
During our stay we continued to be inspired and impressed. From the ceramic tableware, to the bathroom tiles. Truly faultless.
It was so very clear to see the abundant care behind every decision & we cannot reccomend this place enough.
Written 9 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Lucy,
Wow! What a lovely review, I'll pass this onto Richard who will be chuffed with this review. It's a beautiful place and happy we could share that with you. We hope you get booked to stay with us for the future!
Have a nice rest of the day!
Written 15 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
What is the toilet/shower facilties for the accommodations such as dome/yurts?
Cant see any info on website.
Written 29 September 2021
There is a cafe but no shop. I presume if you called and asked them if they could provide this from the cafe to avoid having to come to town or the local village both a mile or so either side of the Loch. Hope this helps enjoy Scotland, the views are amazing!! Living around here a different story! Pretty safe as traveller to visit though xo
Written 28 June 2021
Hi - I am thinking of coming to the centre with my family - I'm wondering what activities would be suitable for a 4 year old? Thanks in advance
Written 25 February 2019
Hi Nicola,
Many thanks for getting in touch!
Most of our activities are suitable for a 4 year old - the only ones i wouldn't recommend are the Wobbly Water Park, Mountain Biking and Windsurfing. You can find more info about the activities we have on offer on our website
Many thanks and we hope to see you here soon!
01556 502011
Written 26 February 2019
Hi there, yes we are a dog friendly centre! However, we prefer people to keep dogs on leads and clean up after them. There is a small charge for dogs staying in accommodation, £3.50 per night or £12.50 for the week :)
Written 6 September 2017
Hi we are coming tho stay at the campsite and were wondering if it's possible to have campfire?
Thanks
Justine
Written 29 July 2017
Hi
WE have a communal fire pit at the front of the centre on the decking which you are welcome to use. We do not allow fires on the grass by the tents unless they are on a raised fire pit (ie so the grass does not burn).
Hope this helps.
Richard
Written 30 July 2017
How long is the zip wire? Is there a weight restriction?
Written 12 June 2017
vbm1461
Leeds, United Kingdom
Is there wood burning stove or cooking facility in 4 people yurt please ?
Written 6 June 2017
Hi, unfortunately there is no wood burning stove in the Hill Yurt but there is a small camping gas stove you can use for cooking.
Victoria
Written 7 June 2017
vbm1461
Leeds, United Kingdom
Is there wood burning stove or cooking facility in 4 people yurt please ?
Written 6 June 2017
vbm1461
Leeds, United Kingdom
Will it be okay to have bbq in hill yurts area if it's raining please ?
any shelter for raining weather ?
Written 4 June 2017
Hi, thanks for getting in touch. I'm afraid although the Hill Yurt has the best views in the centre the flip side of that is that it's quite exposed in bad weather and there is no covered BBQ area. The 6 berth Yurts are slightly more sheltered but again there is no roofed area for cooking outside.
Hope this helps and please let us know if you have any other questions
Written 4 June 2017
Hi Richard
Yes there is a private BBQ for the hill yurt. If it is not there for any reason please ask at reception and we will take care of it for you. Hope this helps and please do come back to us if you need anymore answers. Please note you will need to bring your own charcoal.
Richard
Written 10 April 2017
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