Garden of Cosmic Speculation

Dalswinton Castle, also known as Comyn's Castle, was a castle that was located to the south-east of Dalswinton, in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.A castle was recorded at the site in 1250 and was owned by the Comyns of Badenoch. After it was captured by the English in 1301, the castle constable was John de Botetourt. During Edward Bruce's campaign in Galloway in 1308–1309, the castle was still in English hands. Dalswinton surrendered to Scottish forces in early 1313. The castle was abandoned after the construction of the House of Dalswinton in the 17th century. The remains of the castle appear to have been demolished after 1792.

Ellisland Farm lies about 6.5 mi/10.4 km northwest of Dumfries near the village of Auldgirth, located in the Parish of Dunscore, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The complex is a museum in the farm Robert Burns built, lived in and farmed from 1788 until 1791. One of the earliest references to the site is in 1465. Cardinal Antonius confirming a Charter by the Monastery of Melrose of the adjoining property of Ellisland to John Kirkpatrick.

Dalswinton is a small village in the historical county of Dumfriesshire in Dumfries and Galloway in the south of Scotland. It is located about six miles (ten kilometres) northwest of Dumfries. To the east of the village a wind farm has been built with a capacity of 30 MW. Patrick Miller the entrepreneur built Dalswinton House and its surroundings, which today remain largely in their original form: the stable block situated below the main house and the walled garden; the village; the farms with the enclosed fields; all the cottages which were to house the farm workers and, finally, the loch. It was, perhaps, this for which he is most renowned, as it was on here that the first steamboat in Britain made its maiden voyage. The name Dalswinton contains the Old English place-name swīn-tūn 'pig farm', to which Gaelic dál 'haugh or water meadow' has been added.An exceptionally large beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) was situated at the front of the nearby corrugated iron constructed Church of Scotland Dalswinton Barony church, with the Giant Polypore bracket fungus (Meripilus giganteus) growing from its roots. The tree was felled in early 2014.

Holywood is a village and civil parish in the historical county of Dumfriesshire in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The village of Holywood was developed in the mid twentieth century. In 1949 eighteen houses were built by the county council and followed shortly after by another 38.Holywood was the site of a Premonstratensian abbey which was established in 1225 and dissolved in 1609. The abbey was dismantled and used to build the parish church in 1778. No remains are now visible.The site of Holywood Abbey was previously called Dercongal, 'Congal's oak-copse'. The name Holywood refers to this oak-copse. The saint commemorated in this name may be Convallus, disciple of Saint Mungo. However, there are a number of other saints to whom the dedication could apply. The surrounding landscape has several prehistoric monuments, including two cursuses and the Twelve Apostles stone circle, which suggests a continuity of sacred or administrative tradition in the area.The parish previously had three schools: Speddoch, Steilston and Holywood, near the village. The current school building was built in 1967. Its catchment includes the Woodlands area of Dumfries and part of the catchment of Auldgirth Primary School, which closed in 2000.Holywood railway station opened as Killylung in 1849 but was renamed Holywood within a year and closed in 1949.

The Hermitage was a folly first built by Captain Robert Riddell of Friars Carse (known as Glenriddell at this time and later returned to its ancient name) as part of his enthusiasm for antiquities. It is famous for its connection with the bard Robert Burns who through his friendship with Riddell was permitted to use it to compose poetry in this secluded and tranquil sylvan spot. Burns also used his diamond point pen to engrave lines on the window pane at the Hermitage following the premature death of Riddell. The original Hermitage fell into disrepair and was rebuilt in 1874. It was further restored to its former glory more recently (2009).

Holywood railway station was a railway station in Dumfries and Galloway north of Dumfries.

Friars' Carse is a mansion house and estate situated (NX 926 850) 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) southeast of Auldgirth on the main road (A76) to Dumfries, Parish of Dunscore, Scotland. The property is located on the west bank of the River Nith and is known for its strong associations with Robert Burns who lived for a while at the nearby Ellisland farm. The mansion house is unlisted, however the stables and hermitage are Category B listed buildings.

Carse Loch is situated (NX 926 849) in a low-lying area, surrounded by woodland, close to the A76 at Friar's Carse, in Dumfries and Galloway, Parish of Dunscore. It was once used as a monastic fish pond and the friars are said to have hidden their treasures on the crannog in times of danger. The loch is located about 7 miles from Dumfries and 2 miles from Auldgirth.

The Twelve Apostles (grid reference NX9470079400) is a large stone circle located between the villages of Holywood and Newbridge, near Dumfries, Scotland. It is the seventh largest stone circle in Britain and the largest on the mainland of Scotland. It is similar in design to the stone circles of Cumbria, and is considered to be an outlier of this group. Its south-westerly arrangement aligns it with the midwinder sunset.It is a scheduled ancient monument.

Dercongal Abbey (or Holywood Abbey) was a Premonstratensian monastic community located in Dumfriesshire, Scotland.

Irongray was one of the principal stations on the Cairn Valley Light Railway branch, from Dumfries. It served a rural area in Dumfries and Galloway The line was closed to passengers during WW2. Cairn Valley Junction lay to the east.

Duncow is a small settlement in the civil parish of Kirkmahoe, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Located in the geographical centre of the parish, Duncow was a village in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and was formerly its most populous settlement. At the time the First Statistical Account of Scotland was written the village had between 150 and 200 residents. By the time of the Third Statistical Account there were only five houses in the village. It has had a school since at least the time of the New Statistical Account. The current school was opened in 1878 and has a roll of 24. The village post office closed in 1952.The name Duncow, recorded as Duncol in 1250, is of Celtic origin, representing either Cumbric dīn + coll or Gaelic dùn-choll, both meaning 'fort of hazels'.