On this page we have grouped accommodations by:
- Camping and Campervans
- Hotels in Dumfries
- Hotels on the outskirts of Dumfries (4, 5, 6 miles away)
- Guest Houses/Bed & Breakfasts in or very near Dumfries
- Suggestions for accommodation platforms
Camping at The Crichton
We have arranged for a designated area for camping within easy walk of Easterbrook Hall to accommodate both campervans and tents. The Willow Field campsite will be un-serviced, except for portable toilets, grey water disposal, and fire safety equipment. There will be no electrical hook-up available. Fresh water may be collected from the Easterbrook Hall area, around the corner to the right, past the Bistro and just beyond the rear corner of the building.
Showers are available at Crichton Central café on site (£5). There is also a spa at the Easterbrook Bistro, where you can swim, have a sauna or use the shower (£7.15). This must be booked in advance and availability will be limited.
Access
The recommended route to the camping area is as follows:
- take the Bankend Road approach to the Crichton (see the Open User map above)
- turn right into the Crichton at the Garage Gate entrance (just past the Crichton Golf Course entrance on the left)
- immediately inside the gate turn left (signed Campbell House)
- follow road several hundred metres until you reach the camping area entrance, which will be obvious once you are there
If you get lost, park up at the main car park alongside the Crichton Church and ask – you are not far away!
Entry to camping area
- camping will open at 2.00pm on the Friday afternoon, through to 7.00pm in the evening: if you wish to arrive later, please let us know: 07481 545118
- on the Saturday, there will be no vehicle access to or from the camping area until 10.30, after the Park Run has finished. If you arrive before 10.30, please go the main car park by the Crichton Church: you will be able to register for the festival at that time, and set up on the camping area from 10.30
- at the camping area entrance you will be greeted and shown to a pitch, whether in a campervan or tenting ( this is a stipulation to ensure that vehicles have space between them for fire safety reasons): you may have to wait a short time at the entrance if several arrive at the same time
- people in tents are able to park a car alongside the tent
Facilities
The camping area has portable toilets including disabled, grey water disposal, waste collection bins, and fire safety equipment. It does not have electricity connections, and water may be collected from a tap outside of Easterbrook Hall, around the corner to the right, past the Bistro and just beyond the rear corner of the building.
Overnight emergency cover will be on site from 10.30pm to 08.00am both nights. A phone contact will be issued on arrival. A phone number will also be issued for queries during other times of day.
Site rules
Not many!
- No camp fires allowed at any time, on grass or in fire bowls
- Dogs are welcome but should be on leads at all times in the camping area (not sure about elsewhere on the Crichton?)
- Late night revellers should please remember that others may have turned in somewhat earlier
Please note that the camping site is within an area of general public access, so you are advised to keep with you or lock away anything that matters. Neither the Street Choirs Festival nor the Crichton will accept liability for any loss or damage.
There is a Park Run on Saturday morning from 9:00 to 10:30am, which will run close to the campsite. No vehicular access to the campsite is possible during this time, so we ask camping participants to recognise this issue. Registration for the Festival will be offered from 9:00 to 11:00 and our rehearsal for the Massed Sing will be held at Easterbrook Hall over this time slot. Other car parking facilities will be available, but further from the campsite. Due to public access to The Crichton Estate, camping is undertaken at your own risk.
More details on camping on site will be posted as they become available, and fees will be part of the Individual Registration process through Snappy-Tickets.
Please note these particulars about Camping and Camper Van options on site:
Camping fees will be part of the Individual Registration process through Snappy-Tickets. It’s important to note that the weekly Park Run goes through this site, Saturday mornings from 9:00 to at least 10:30, so it will not be felicitous to set up a camp during this time. We’re mentioning this again to reinforce this message to all campers.
It’s a good idea for campers to save and/or print a copy of these important pieces of information, and we offer a three page printer-friendly pdf document for this purpose (Camping at the Crichton) that reiterates the information presented here.
Hotels in Dumfries
Premier Inn.. situated by start of Dumfries bypass. About 3.5 miles drive to our venue https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/scotland/dumfries-and-galloway/dumfries/dumfries.html
Travel Lodge also situated by start of Dumfries Bypass. About 3.5 miles drive to our venue https://www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/202/Dumfries-hotel
The Cairndale Hotel, a family-run hotel in central Dumfries, 5 mins walk from the railway station. Multiple rooms, https://www.cairndalehotel.co.uk/ [As of Monday, 18th of May, the proprietor reports that there are still rooms available here: telephone 01387 254111]
The Hill Hotel, family-run small hotel, only 5 mins walk from the railway station. https://www.thehillhotel.co.uk/
Hotels on the outskirts of Dumfries
Torr House Hotel Small hotel just outside town – about 6 miles from our venue. https://direct-book.com/properties/TorrhouseDIRECT
Nith Hotel, Glencaple. Small hotel about 4 miles south of our venue in the village of Glencaple. https://www.nithhotel.co.uk/
Woodland House Hotel.. Family-run hotel on edge of town to the north.. about 5 miles from our venue. At time of writing (sept 25) looks like dates for May onwards 2026 have not been put up yet. https://woodlandhousehotel.co.uk/
Guest Houses/B&Bs . . . a beginning list
Rivendell Guest House On Edinburgh Road, edge of town, about 3 miles from our venue. https://www.visitscotland.com/info/accommodation/rivendell-guest-house-p199761
Glenlossie Guest House On Annan Road – between A75 and town centre. Various room options.https://www.guestreservations.com/glenlossie-guest-house-dumfries/booking?
Huntingdon House B&B Family-run B&B very close to railway station. At time of writing (sept 25) looks like dates for May onwards 2026 have not been put up yet. http://thehuntingdonbandb.co.uk/
Ferintosh Guest House Family-run B&B very close to railway station. At time of writing (sept 25) looks like dates for May onwards 2026 have not been put up yet. https://www.ferintosh.net/Nearby
List
Possible Platforms for further perusal
For other guesthouse, B&Bs or individual accommodations, try platforms like:
Additional Camping Options: local to Dumfries and within roughly a 30 min drive of The Crichton.
Alternative camping options within a short distance of the town are limited, but a little further afield there are a number of sites which offer camping as well as campervan and touring pitches. We’ve also included a few ‘pod’ options that we know about. We’ve given rough distances to the Crichton venue, and have also separated those which are ‘on the way in, from the M74’ to the east of Dumfries, from those which are the other side of town, out west, plus a single site in a north direction.
Newbridge Country Park, Dumfries. This is the closest campsite to our venue. It is part of a bigger holiday development , on the outskirts of town, off the A76 going north towards Thornhill. About 15 mins drive away from the Crichton. Tents, caravans and campervans. https://www.newbridgecountrypark.co.uk/book-a-pitch
Other camping options are a bit further away. Please scroll down to find all the local and local-ish options we think may be available, but do check details for yourself. They appear to all include options for tents, as well as caravans and campervans.
You may already be aware of the 3 camping compilations listed below, which may also be worth exploring for other options. Some sites are C&C club members only:
Pitchup in Dumfries and Galloway
Local and local-ish sites, from our own local knowledge:
East of Dumfries
Braids Caravan Park, Gretna . Vans only. In Gretna itself, just off the M74 and about 30 mins derive to our venue. https://the-braids.uk/pitches/
Hoddam Castle Caravan Park (also has a number of pod options) https://www.hoddomcastle.co.uk/ East of Dumfries.. about 30 mins drive to our venue
Westlands Country Park, north east of Annan East of Dumfries, in the countryside between Annan and Gretna and about 30 mins drive to our venue. Part of a bigger activity and events centre. https://www.westlands.co.uk/camping-at-westlands-country-park/
Kirk Loch Park, Lochmaben Council-run site, next to one of the village lochs. Camping and vans. About 20 mins drive from our venue. https://www.dumfriesandgalloway.gov.uk/leisure-sport-culture/things-do-dumfries-galloway/camping-caravan-motorhome-sites/kirk-loch-caravan-park-lochmaben
North of Dumfries
Oakbank Farm Campsite Tents and vans. About 20 mins drive to our venue. https://www.oakbankfarmcampsite.co.uk/
West and South-west of Dumfries
Auchenfranco C&C site this is a Camping & Caravan Club site, 8 miles or so west of Dumfries, so 15-20 mins drive to our venue. The house is also available as a self-catering rental, so maybe would work well for a group?? http://www.auchenfrancoholidays.co.uk/caravan.html
Southerness Holiday Park. South west from Dumfries and about 30 mins drive to our venue. Part of a biggish holiday complex. Camping and campervan options available. https://www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk/location/scotland/southerness/touring-and-camping/
Castle point Caravan Park, Rockcliffe South west from Dumfries and about 40 mins drive to our venue. A small site near the coast.. camping and van options. https://caravan-site-warden.web.app/
Sandyhills Bay Holiday Park Camping and van options on the coast as part of a bigger holiday complex. About 30 mins drive from our venue. https://www.sandyhillsbaycaravanpark.co.uk/glamping-camping-touring/touring-and-camping/
Beeswing Caravan Park Camping and van options. Halfway between Dumfries and Dalbeattie on the A711 about 20 mins to our venue. https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=3471
Brandedly’s Caravan Holiday Park Halfway between Dumfries and Castle Douglas just off the A75. Camping and van options. Under 3o mins drive to our venue. https://www.brandedleysholidaypark.com/
Lochside Caravan Park, Castle Douglas. Council-run site, in Castle Douglas itself, west of Dumfries on the A75, right by the town loch. About 30 mins drive to our venue. Tent and van options. https://www.pitchup.com/campsites/Scotland/Scotland/Dumfries_and_Galloway/Castle_Douglas/lochside-caravan-park
Hensol Estate holidays north from Castle Douglas in the countryside… 40 mins drive to Dumfries. https://www.hensolestateholidays.com/campsite
Campervan only and/or pod type accommodations
Queensberry Bay Holiday Park, Powfoot on coast, west of Annan and about 30 mins drive to our venue. Vans only. https://www.verdantleisure.co.uk/south-west-scotland/dumfriesshire/queensberry-bay/touring/
Castle Corner campervan site. Vans only. This is a small site, but in a lovely location about 8 miles south of our venue. https://castlecorner.wixsite.com/castle-corner
Corriehall Stopover, Dumfries A few miles (10 mins drive) outside town to the west, up ‘the old military road’. Campervan pitches and 4 Shepherd’s Huts’ . No camping option. https://www.corriehall.com/
Craigend Farm, Dumfries 2 upmarket ‘pods’ here, very convenient for The Crichton. https://www.craigendfarmholidays.co.uk/pods/
Kingan Farm cottages 2 ‘pods’ here – by New Abbey, about 15 mins from Dumfries going south west. https://www.kingancottages.co.uk/
Wild Oak Woods –just over 30 mins drive from our venue. Near Sandyhills, south west from Dumfries. 4 cabins in a woodland environment. https://www.wildoakwoods.co.uk/about-the-campsite/
Gorsebank – pod and cabin options, just south of Dalbeattie and about 30 mins drive from our venue. https://gorsebank.co.uk/
As above, Hoddam Castle pods https://www.hoddomcastle.co.uk/hoddom-cabins
Laird Lodges, Lochmaben.. north east from Dumfries. About 25 mins from our venue. https://lairdlodges.com/
Penpont Holiday Park has 3 pods.. about 30 mins drive from Dumfries, north to Thornhill and then turn off left to the village of Penpont. https://penpontholidaypark.co.uk/holiday-pods
