The River Cree is a river as old as time itself and it has been giving nourishment and life to cultures dating back countless millennia. As it winds its way through Scotland it seems to breathe beauty into every corner it flows by. Nowhere is this magic most realized, though, than in the phenomenally attractive burg known as Newton Stewart. Located at the western end of Dumfries and Galloway, Newton Stewart is home to some lush scenery and some remarkable monuments. Though the town lacks a bit in night life, nothing can beat the visceral pleasure of wandering through the rolling landscape of Newton Stewart. Part of the reason for Newton Stewart's stately appearance is due to the fact that the town is only a few hundred years old. It was created in the middle 1600s by William Stewart. This fact, and the fact that this area of Scotland was largely untouched by the Industrial Revolution, allowed the natural splendor of the area to maintain control. This is a very good thing for each and every one of us.
To be fair, much of Newton Stewart's beautiful earth is part of the famed Galloway Forest Park. The odds are good that if somebody is visiting Newton Stewart it is because he or she is staying there in order to explore the Galloway. If you have yet to see a picture of the Galloway Hills or Cairn Holy or any other part of this sprawling three hundred mile wonderland then you would do well to peruse the internet; this place has positively got to be seen to be believed. One would think that the peak time to visit something of this nature would be during the spring but in fact Newton Stewart receives a vast amount of tourists during the winter. This is due to the fact that the Galloway Forest Park looks unbelievably stunning when snow crests form atop the hills. An area known as Craignaw offers some of the most sought after scenery in existence as the Rhinns of Kells burst through the land and reach toward the heavens greedily. When wandering through some of the Neolithic monuments it is hard not to feel floored by how many humans have walked these paths before you and how many will traverse the ground after you are beneath it. Though morbid, it is enlightening and the Galloway is filled to the brim with more enlightenment than you can handle.
Sadly and perhaps strangely Newton Stewart does not have a railway station of its own. Though this isn't evidence that the town is in dire straits, it is a bit puzzling that they've been without a railway since the original one shut down in the mid-1960s. To get to Newton Stewart one has to disembark at Barrhill or Stranraer but there are coach services that allow you to get to Newton Stewart with minimal fuss. Even moderate fuss would be worth a trip to Newton Stewart, however, and any qualms about difficulties in travel will be immediately put to rest upon witnessing some of God's greatest handiwork.
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