There aren’t many Scottish figures more iconic than Robert Burns. Every year, people across the world celebrate his life on Burns Night, but his poetry and songs should be enjoyed more than just in January! As a Scottish storyteller and big fan of Scotland’s National Poet, following in Robert Burns’ footsteps, from Birthplace to Burial, is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.

Over 200,000 people visit the poet’s birthplace in Alloway in Ayrshire every year, but only a small number explore any further. I was asked by Scotland Starts Here to show you how much more there is to see along the poet’s path. The result is this amazing 2 day itinerary that you can follow and explore in the southwest.

The area around Dumfries isn’t just where the bard died, it’s where he really lived! From his favourite bustling pub to quiet outdoor spaces and from museums with delicate artefacts to sitting in the poet’s own chair, there’s a lot to pack in when you follow Robert Burns story!

This post is part of a campaign with the South of Scotland Destination Alliance but all thoughts and words are mine alone.

Who Is Robert Burns?

Born in a wee cottage in 1759, Robert Burns grew up as the son of a tenant farmer. Fortunately for him, his father believed in the benefits of a good education. His poetry began at a young age but he wasn’t always destined for literary success! It wasn’t until 1786, at the age of 27, that a collection of Robert Burns poetry was published and things began to look better for the bard.

Robert Burns wrote in the Scots tongue at a time when the language was being oppressed and his work spoke to everyday people. He covered topics like farming, folklore, whisky, political commentaries and of course love. People connected with this regular character in a way that a classically trained poet never could and they still do!

Burns had lots of wealthy patrons but that didn’t mean he was suddenly rich. He carried on working as a farmer and when times were tough, he picked up a second job as a taxman. Tragically, at 37 years old, the poet died at home in Dumfries due to a heart condition. He only had 10 years of fame but made such an impact on Scotland that people still want to follow Robert Burns trail to this day.

Day 1 – Robert Burns’ Birthplace To Dumfries

Discover Robert Burns’ Birthplace At Alloway

The first stop in a tour of Robert Burns’ life naturally begins in Alloway at his Birthplace Museum. Before you head off to visit the rest of the village, it’s worth spending time in the museum section which holds a vast number of treasures.

There’s the usual things you’d expect to find inside like his writing desk, copies of handwritten poems and letters to friends. However, there’s also some far more unusual Robert Burns artefacts like his sock! It’s something so basic, but that’s what transforms an abstract legend back into a relatable man.

Take a walk down the Poet’s Path, passing statues of mice and haggis, to reach the cottage that Burns was born in. It’s a simple, two room building with a thatched roof and it’s easy to imagine the stories once told by the fireside.

Heading back in the direction of the museum from the cottage, you’re not just walking in the footsteps of Robert Burns, but also the path taken by Tam o Shanter! That masterpiece of poetry tells the story of a drunken Tam who comes across a coven of witches having a party in the ruins of Auld Alloway Kirk. Not far away, you’ll find the Brig o Doon, where Tam sought safety, in the shadow of the Burns Monument.

Crawick Multiverse – An Unusual Burns Connection

Robert Burns wasn’t in Alloway for long and in his later years, his life shifted towards Dumfries. On your way between the two, you’ll come across the incredible Crawick Multiverse. Transformed from an open cast coal mine into a representation of the cosmos, it’s not your typical Robert Burns location.

However, Burns became good friends with John Rigg of Crawick Forge after a meeting straight out of a TV sitcom. John was reading a collection of Burns’ poetry when a stranger walked in and asked what was so entertaining. He replied, “Poems of a fellow called Burns and if I had the man here who wrote them I would like to shake him by the hand and stand him a good drink.”

Never one to turn down a free drink, Burns revealed his identity and that was the start of a long friendship! If it wasn’t for the colliery at Crawick, John Rigg wouldn’t have been there to meet Burns and neither would the Multiverse exist today!

Aside from exploring Robert Burns connections, Crawick Multiverse is a great outdoor attraction to visit. The art installation is dog friendly and is perfectly set up to host regular events. From watching the sun rise down the passageway on the Summer Solstice to huge music concerts, have a look at some upcoming events here.

Sanquhar Tolbooth & Whigham’s Inn

It’s a short hop from Crawick to Sanquhar, another location with a strong connection to Robert Burns. While the poet was building his new home at Ellisland Farm, he would regularly stay at Whigham’s Inn in Sanquhar to break the journey. There, he etched into a window a poem referring to “dwelling in this happy place.”

Sadly, Whigham’s Inn (officially the Queensberry Arms) is no longer a bustling pub. It’s lain derelict for decades, but it’s hoped that soon the Sanquhar Enterprise Company can purchase the building and breathe life back into this piece of local heritage!

While visiting Sanquhar, make sure to stop into the Tolbooth Museum for more history from the local area. Then you can send a letter from Scotland’s oldest Post Office, then grab lunch from A’ The Airts!

Robert Burns House & Centre In Dumfries

Arriving in Dumfries, you’ll soon notice it’s a place truly packed with Burns locations. That includes the house where he lived with his family for the last few years of his life after taking a job as an exciseman. It was here where the poet died in 1796 and just a few days later, on the day of his funeral, that his wife Jean Armour gave birth to their son Maxwell.

Jean carried on living in the Robert Burns House until she died almost 40 years later and by then it had become a pilgrimage site. It’s a treasure trove of stories, full of Burns’ personal belongings and with his signature even etched into a window! Following Robert Burns’ footsteps from his birthplace to this house shows you just how far he came in his life!

My favourite item is a copy of Burns work, dedicated to Mrs Graham of Fintry by the poet, thanking her for being such a good friend. “May every child of yours, in the hour of need, find such a friend as I shall teach every child of mine that their father found in you.”

The Robert Burns House is just one stop on the Dumfries Town Trail and it’s a short walk from here to the The Robert Burns Centre. Found in an old mill, it gives a bigger overview to Burns’ life and what Dumfries would have looked like to him 230 years ago.

Spend The Night At Ellisland Farm!

If there’s one place that brings Burns’ story to life most for me, then it’s Ellisland Farm. Robert Burns built the farmhouse and worked it with Jean, finally living his dream life. Despite the hard labour and long hours, this is where he was at his most poetically productive. Book a tour and stand in the room where Auld Lang Syne was written or walk the river path where Tam o Shanter was conjured up!

It’s said that when Burns was offered his choice of plots for building his farm, he picked the prettiest spot over the best farmland. In the end, he couldn’t make the farming life work and had to take on a job as an exciseman to help make ends meet. It couldn’t have been easy for Burns to leave this place when he finally moved onto Dumfries.

I could easily relate to that feeling, but luckily I didn’t have to leave right away. That’s because you can now stay at Ellisland Farm in a wee cottage! You’re not sleeping in the bard’s bed, but it’s about as close as you can get. The Auld Acquaintance Cottage is modern, comfortable and dog friendly with 2 bedrooms for 3 guests.

It was amazing being able to sit in the courtyard of Ellisland Farm after everybody else had left and just soak it all in. No better place to raise a dram to the bard, although the the day of discovering Robert Burns locations wasn’t quite over.

Dinner In Burns’ Old Haunt – Friars Carse Hotel

Time to take a walk along the River Nith to dinner at Friars Carse Hotel. You’re literally walking in Robert Burns’ footsteps here, this path was one he regularly took to visit his friend Robert Riddell. It’s an easy trail, along the river before heading along a field and finally through some well-kept woodland.

In those woods you’ll find a cluster of yew trees and a strange wee building known as the Hermitage. This is a restored version of the place that Burns would sit and find inspiration for new work. Maybe it was where he would slink off to if Jean ever kicked him out the house…

Friars Carse has a great menu for all tastes, with hearty Scottish produce standing out. You can bring your dog with you and sit in the lounge area, otherwise you’ll be in The Whistle Restaurant. That’s named after a drinking competition between three lairds that Robert Burns spectated. The winner was the last man to blow an old whistle after numerous bottles of claret!

Day 2 – Robert Burns’ Farm To His Burial

Patrol Annan Waterfoot

After Burns’ took his job with the excise, he was riding hundreds of miles a week to make sure everybody was paying their taxes. That included patrolling the shoreline in places like Annan, once regularly frequented by ships. It was in this town that he wrote one of my favourite short songs – The Deil’s Awa Wi The Exciseman!

Down at Annan Waterfoot, a cairn marks where Burns once worked and carries a quote, “written at this wild place of the world, in the intervals of my labor of discharging a vessel of rum from Antigua.” It wasn’t far from here that the most dramatic episode of Robert Burns’ time as an exciseman occurred. A smuggler ship “Rosamund” had become stranded and Burns helped lead armed men to capture the vessel!

There are plans to regenerate Annan Harbour as a focal point for the community. It’s a beautiful wee town, well off the beaten path but with plenty to discover including Annandale Distillery. They’re helping keep the connection to Burns alive with their Man o Words whisky!

Take The Stage At The Theatre Royal Dumfries

One of the real hidden gems in Dumfries is somewhere with a huge Robert Burns connection. The Theatre Royal Dumfries is Scotland’s oldest working theatre and probably wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the poet. It was built in 1792 and while Burns didn’t have the money to invest, he did have plenty of wealthy contacts who could.

He wasn’t a theatre performer, but Burns wrote pieces for the stage. The most famous would be “The Rights of Woman” written for Louise Fontanelle to perform at a benefit night. He sat down in the pit for many shows where a riot once broke out as people sang a revolutionary song instead of God Save The King. Burns denied taking any part to his excise superiors, but it’s hard to know the truth…

A visit to the Theatre Royal Dumfries isn’t just about taking a tour through history. It’s a place still alive with performances, run by people passionate about the arts that make it a pillar of the community. The next time that I’m in Dumfries, I’ll be catching a show and I highly recommend that you do to!

Take A Tour At The Globe Inn

Not far away, you can uncover another of Robert Burns’ great loves. The 400 year old Globe Inn was Robert Burns’ favourite howff or drinking den. In the days before he lived in Dumfries, he would stay here on visits to the town. Book onto one of the Burns Tours and you can see the room he usually shared with the landlady’s niece!

That tour also gives you the chance to sit in the poet’s actual chair. It did make me feel like a fanboy, but there’s a price to pay if you park yourself here. Either recite a verse of Burns’ work or buy a whole round for the bar!

The Globe Inn isn’t just a museum, it’s still a working bar and restaurant. The fine dining takes Scottish food to another level, showing exactly how good local produce can be! I was lucky enough to share a meal with Kathleen from Mostly Ghostly Tours who also run other tours around Dumfries that are well worth booking yourself onto!

Brow Well & Solway Firth – The Death Of Burns

Like many creative geniuses, Robert Burns died tragically young. At the age of 37, he was sorely feeling the effects of lifelong ill health. There’s a myth that the poet drank himself to an early grave, but while he enjoyed a dram, he was rarely known to drink to excess.

In fact, Burns had a rheumatic heart condition and it was bacterial endocarditis that eventually killed him. As his health steadily grew worse, his doctor William Maxwell prescribed sea bathing as a cure. It turned out not to be such a great idea.

Burns headed to the Solway Coast to fulfil the doctor’s orders, beginning with a healing well. You can still visit the Brow Well but this isn’t somewhere to literally follow Burns steps. He repeatedly drank from the natural spring, which is now a rusty colour of mud, before taking a dip in the sea.

In his letters, the poet made it clear that he didn’t believe the routine was having a positive effect but he carried on. Just a few days after his final dip, Robert Burns had died.

Take A Pew In St Michael’s Church

A short stroll from the Robert Burns House is the beautiful St Michael’s Church. As the oldest church in Dumfries, there’s a lot of history packed in here. While the current building was rebuilt in the mid 1700s, it stands on a site that goes back probably 1300 years!

Amongst all of the interesting features and memorials, there are plenty of nods to Robert Burns. Above the old front door, stained glass windows portray Burns and Jean. High up on the wall stands the familiar marble bust of the poet. You can even sit in the Burns family pew, and imagine the poet watching a wee bug crawling in a girl’s hair, inspiring To A Louse.

St Michael’s still has regular services every Sunday at 11am but is also opened by volunteers every other day from 1-4pm between May & September.

Pay Your Respects At The Burns Mausoleum

Once you’ve explored the inside of St Michael’s Church, it’s worth spending time around the outside. Even if you weren’t following Robert Burns’ connections, it’s a beautiful graveyard full of interesting graves. I stumbled across lots of fascinating iconography amongst the ancient burials, impossibly crammed together.

One man who didn’t get such an elaborate headstone was Robert Burns. Even though thousands attended his funeral, he was originally laid to rest in a simple grave in the corner. It wasn’t until 17 years later that people realised he deserved something much grander! A public collection began to raise funds for a new mausoleum.

In 1817, Burns’ body was exhumed from his grave and laid to rest in the beautiful, white building. Two of his sons, who had died shortly after the poet, were moved too and eventually Jean joined them. It’s grand but also very simple, something that fits the legacy of Robert Burns perfectly.

The Burns’ Mausoleum is open Monday to Saturday from 11.15 – 14.15 from April to September. Access can be arranged outside this by getting in touch with the Robert Burns House! It’s a fitting way to finish your time exploring Robert Burns in the South of Scotland!

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