It's Farmhouse Breakfast Week!

Join us by celebrating Farmhouse Breakfast Week until the 26th January

Farmhouse Breakfast Week is an annual celebration championing the importance of breakfast aiming to get the nation to Shake Up Their Wake Up! Instead of skipping breakfast the campaign aims to get the 47% who go without to enjoy a heathy breakfast more regularly.

Running a B&B we know how our guests really do relish a good farmhouse breakfast...
 and taking time out to enjoy it.

Eggs from the small Millbrae flock

The purpose of the week is to raise awareness of the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast and show-case the wonderful ingredients produced in the UK, encouraging us to eat local and shop local.

A good start to your day - our breakfast buffet

Our Scottish farmhouse breakfasts include our own eggs, Ayrshire bacon, award winning Haggis and sausages from our local butcher and locally produced preserves and yogurts... to name just a few key ingredients.

We are lucky that here in Dumfries and Galloway we have a great local larder and many artisan producers such as:
 The Earths Crust Bakery www.earthscrustbakery.co.uk

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(a family run artisan bakery based in Laurieston near Castle Douglas producing a range of hand crafted slowly fermented traditional, sourdough and speciality breads)

Barlochan Highland Beef www.bhbeef.com (whose Highland cattle graze the fields around Rockcliffe)

Loch Arthur Creamery and Farmshop www.locharthur.org.uk/creamery-and-farmshop/ (for Organic cheese, butter and vegetables).

Galloway Lodge Preserves
www.gallowaylodge.co.uk

Castle Douglas Food Town is a good starting point for sampling and buying the regions products. You can find more details at www.savourtheflavours.co.uk

You can more details on Farmhouse Breakfast Week and lots of recipes for tasty breakfasts at http://www.shakeupyourwakeup.com

Our recommendation to warm you up on a chilly Winter morning is - Cranberry Spiced Porridge

You will need;

100g  Scottish Jumbo rolled oats
50g dried cranberries
qtr tsp mixed spice
2 tbsp cranberry sauce
700ml semi skimmed milk

Putting it all together

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil
Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened
Serve with a tsp of cranberry sauce and a sprinkling of mixed spice

Tips

Use frozen whole cranberries with 2 tbsp sugar or Galloway honey instead of the dried cranberries and cranberry sauce

One of our guests recommends cardamon on your porridge in a morning.

Recipe from

 http://www.shakeupyourwakeup.com/breakfastrecipes

Help us support D&G canine Rescue

Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue do a fantastic job - please support them!

On 29th December, Centre assistants Sarah and Zoe bravely spent a chilly night in one of the kennels at the rescue centre in order to raise money to buy new toys and equipment for the dogs in their care. 

I think they deserve a huge thank you and so have just sponsored Sarah and Zoe at Virgin Money Giving, on behalf of our rescue collie.  I would like to help them reach their target of £500, so if you cold please spare a donation, however large or small, please  click here Make a donation here

This link takes you to Virgin Money Giving, where you can sponsor the girls and donations will be quickly processed and passed to Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue Centre.

The girls said "By sponsoring us you will be helping to provide our dogs with toys and activities which will provide mental stimulation thats helps to reduce frustration and boredom.

MANY THANKS FROM YOUR FOUR LEGGED FRIENDS!"

This is our rescued collie at his favourite place, the beach at Sandyhills. He loves living along the Colvend Coast as there are so many fabulous beach, coastal and forest walks.
A big thank you to D&G canine Rescue for helping him.
Photo: subject to creative copyright  - not to be used without permission.

The centre do an amazing job giving love, veterinary attention and a home to many dogs who really need it. You can visit their website here: www.caninerescue.co.uk

We really appreciate all your support and thank you for any donations.

Note: Virgin Money Giving is a not for profit organisation and will claim gift aid on a charity's behalf where the donor is eligible for this. 

CNN names Scotland as top travel destination for 2013.

The US broadcasting network CNN has named Scotland as its top travel destination for 2013.

Scotland came ahead of Morocco and Amsterdam, with scenes from the latest Bond film cited as evidence of the country's appeal for tourists.

CNN highlighted the myriad of outdoor events taking place in Scotland in 2013, including the Open Championship golf tournament in July, the Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight in September and the Dumfries and Galloway Wildlife Festival, 29 march - 14 April 2013.

At last year's festival there were more than 80 events over two weeks with some new exciting additions including an exhibition about ferns at Logan Botanic Gardens, "Pteridomania", the Wild Food Forage in Langholm, Tattie bogle making at Cairnsmore of Fleet NNR. This year there will once again be exciting events across the whole of Dumfries and Galloway with something for all ages to enjoy!

CNN also noted Scotland's Great Trails, a network of long distance routes for walkers.

A feature published on the broadcaster's website said: "Scotland has seen fit to dub 2013 the "Year of Natural Scotland," and what better time to do it?

For the full article on the BBC website click here: BBC website

Note:  for information for the Wildlife Festival, contact Peter Norman Biodiversity Officer on: 01387260172 

peter.norman@dumgal.gov.uk
(Please note Peter is not the contact for individual events on the programme.)

Celebrate the New Year with a tribute to Robert Burns

Wishing all our readers and guests a very HAPPY NEW YEAR for 2013.

The time has come again to celebrate our favourite national bard, Robert Burns so we are all looking forward to the BIG BURNS SUPPER held this year in Dumfries 25 - 27th January. Dumfries is only a 20 minuite drive making Rockcliffe and Kippford an ideal base.

 Big Burns Supper 2013 is jam packed full of events for everyone - from the young, to the 
old, and the in between - we guarantee there is something you’ll enjoy.

Image from http://www.bigburnssupper.com/

Fresh for 2013 is the brand new Festival Village down at the old market on the Whitesands, including an original 1920’s style Spiegeltent which will seduce you from morning until night, with shows suitable for all the family, and a children’s tent which has non-stop free stuff to keep the little ones happy, as well as two fully licensed outdoor bars supplied by The Globe.

Music fans will love the free music stage at The Midsteeple which has been curated by 
Tenement TV - and the whole festival kicks off with the opening show - featuring a community cast of over 700 - which will bedazzle your senses in one of the biggest outdoor 
productions ever staged in Scotland.

It’s not for the faint hearted -  embrace the spirit of the festival by making sure you last the pace by dipping in and out of shows and events throughout the whole weekend. Whichever shows or events you take part in - rest assured - you will be taking part in the World’s Biggest Burns Night Celebration right here in Dumfries and Galloway!


You can download the brochure here: Big Burns Supper brochure pdf

Image from http://www.bigburnssupper.com/

This year's headline band is Deacon Blue but we will be heading for Zoe's Ukelele Celidh an informal gathering of players old and young, experienced and beginners, all playing and jamming together hosted by Dumfries and Galloways own Ukelele songstress Zoë Bestel.