Dundrennan Ranges
The scenic coast road from Dalbeattie to Kirkcudbright passes through the village of Dundrennan, site of the historic Dundrennan Abbey – well worth visiting itself. The village was the site of a particularly tragic crash in July 1944 when a Bristol Beaufighter flying from RAF Carlisle crashed into a house on the main street, with the loss of both the crew and the family in the house.
The military ranges at Dundrennan are part of the Kircudbright Training Area. The huge site is bordered by the Solway and was requisitioned in 1942 to train soldiers for the invasion of Europe. The range has been used for tank and infantry training ever since and remains very active – please do not explore here!!
Image credit – Dumfries & Galloway Aviation Museum collection