Dumfries and Galloway Trivia Quiz

Answer: Roxburghshire

When Scottish local government was reorganised in 1975 to form much larger regions, many historic counties disappeared off the map. Roxburghshire became part of the Borders Region, whilst the other three options all became part of Dumfries and Galloway. Many of the old counties reappeared in 1995, but not the ones referred to in this question.

Answer: Solway Firth

The Solway Firth is part of the Irish Sea, and is the estuary of the Rivers Esk and Nith. Dumfries and Galloway lies on its north bank, with the English county of Cumbria on its south bank.

Answer: Northern Ireland

Loch Ryan is a sea loch in the far southwest of Scotland. Cairnryan has two ferry terminals, with services to Larne and Belfast. The larger town of Stranraer, a few miles to the south, was the hub of the Larne service for around 150 years, until the ferry company relocated to Cairnryan in 2011.

Answer: Lockerbie

Lockerbie is a small town around 20 miles north of the border with England. In December 1988, Pan Am flight 103 was blown up by a terrorist bomb, with the wreckage falling on the town, killing 11 town residents along with all passengers and crew.

Answer: Wigtown

Wigtown lies on the shores of Wigtown Bay. Despite having a population of only around 1,000, it has a large number of second-hand book stores, thus the moniker. This didn't happen by accident - it was a deliberate ploy to regenerate the town after the collapse of the local scotch whisky industry in the 1990s.

Answer: Robert Burns

Dumfries lies on the banks of the River Nith. Robert Burns, although born in Alloway, Ayrshire, lived in the town during his latter years, and the house in which he lived was later converted into a museum.

Answer: Southern Upland Way

The Southern Upland Way runs for 212 miles from Portpatrick in the west to the Borders village of Cockburnspath in the east. The Dumfries and Galloway section of the footpath takes in communities such as Castle Kennedy, New Luce and Sanquhar.

Answer: Blacksmith shop

For centuries, young couples from England who wanted to marry without parental consent nipped over the border to Scotland to marry in Gretna Green, with the Old Blacksmith's Shop being the traditional venue. Although marrying is much simpler nowadays, many couples still like to travel to Gretna for their ceremony.

Answer: Hollow

The Devil's Beef Tub is a 500 ft deep hollow formed by four hills, and one of the sources of the River Annan. The name comes from its use for hiding stolen cattle by "reivers" between the 13th and 17th centuries.

Answer: Cow

The Belted Galloway is a breed of cattle with a unique colouring - black with a white "belt" around the midriff. The breed is an offshoot from the Galloway cattle which originated in the area.