Ellisland Farm

Dumfries & Galloway


Six miles northwest of Dumfries, you can visit the farm that Robert Burns leased in 1788 by the River Nith. He had the house built for his family and lived here until 1791. The farmhouse still preserves plenty of atmosphere of the time. There's an exhibition and short film. Ellisland is signposted off the A76 to Kilmarnock; bus 246 will get you there too.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Dumfries & Galloway attractions

1. Robert Burns Statue

5.37 MILES

This statue at the end of High St features the poet with a dog at his feet.

2. Devorgilla Bridge

5.4 MILES

The red sandstone bridges arching over the River Nith are the most attractive feature of the town. Devorgilla Bridge (1431) is one of the oldest bridges…

3. Robert Burns Centre

5.54 MILES

A worthwhile Burns exhibition in an old mill on the banks of the River Nith; it tells the story of the poet and Dumfries in the 1790s. The optional…

4. Dumfries Museum & Camera Obscura

5.63 MILES

This museum covers local history and prehistory with a wide range of displays from fossils to farm implements. In the tower is a camera obscura, built in…

5. Burns House

5.69 MILES

This is a place of pilgrimage for Burns enthusiasts. It's here that the poet spent the last years of his life, and there are various possessions of his in…

6. St Michael's Kirk

5.78 MILES

When visiting Robert Burns' mausoleum in the cemetery, it's worth ducking into the squarish 18th-century church, where he used to worship, to admire the…

7. Robert Burns Mausoleum

5.81 MILES

Burns' mausoleum is in the graveyard at St Michael's Kirk. It's in the far corner (ie eastern corner) from the entrance. There’s a grisly account of his…

8. Mabie Farm Park

7.98 MILES

If your kids are complaining about historic sights and Robert Burns, pack up the clan and get down to this spot, between Dumfries and New Abbey off the…