From Caerlaverock Castle we followed the road northwest along the east side of River Nith, crossed the river and skirted under the major city of Dumfries,  then continued southward back toward the Solway Firth.   Orchardton Tower is located about 4 km (15 miles) east of Kirkcudbright.

The tower is thought to have been built by Sir John Maxwell about 1456. Our last stop of the day was Dundrennan Abbey, founded by Cistercian Monks in 1142.  These ancient abbeys were huge. Many of them have been added to over the years, or re-built after a fire or some attack that destroyed it and then enlarged each time.  It constantly amazed me that all of these stone blocks were quarried, sized and shaped, and placed by hand.  No modern tools.  No lift equipment.  Just hard work and brute strength and many, many, many labourers.

We arrived at our B&B in Kirkcudbright at 6 o’clock.  After we settled in and had some dinner we went for a walk around town.  The light was lovely and it was a beautiful evening; and I loved all the colours.  We met a lady on the street and I asked her how the name of the town was pronounced.  In normal Scottish fashion they leave out or run over most of the letters.  It is Ke-coo-bree.  I would never have figured that out.