OAKBANK NEWS LETTER

3rd February 2010

Many events and festivals have been programmed for this year right across the region - music festivals, film festivals, the Arts Festival in various venues and the Spring Fling when artists and craft workshops across the region open to the public.

Dark Skies. The Galloway Forest, on the edge of Newton Stewart, is now officially a Dark Skies Park - one of very few worldwide and the only one in Europe. This implies that the area suffers so little from light pollution that starry skies have a high level of  visibility and anyone with a telescope - or even without one - can see more stars more clearly than anywhere else, a situation that is a clear boon to astronomers. Already we are welcoming visitors coming to star gaze, to study the constellations and the planets or just to look at the moon. To find out more about the facilities on offer click on this link  http://www.darkskyscotland.org.uk/ also, for star gazers, http://www.wigtownshire-astro.org.uk/

The other bit of news is that Newton Stewart is now officially a "Walkers are Welcome" town in recognition of the superb variety of walking opportunities around here in our forests and hills, sea shores and river valleys. And the annual Newton Stewart WalkFest runs from 7th to 13th May this year.

Newton Stewart is now, officially, the Gateway to the Galloway Hills.