The River Esk at Langholm, looking towards the Langholm Bridge – a road bridge originally built in 1778. A plaque tells me that Thomas Telford worked on this bridge as a journeyman (skilled worker).
Dumfries is the administrative centre of Dumfries and Galloway, the council which encompasses the historic counties of Wigtownshire, the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright and Dumfriesshire. Langholm is at the eastern border of Dumfriesshire, 25 miles as the crow flies from Dumfries. Currently, there is no direct bus between Dumfries and Langholm – so this trip was to establish how long it takes to make the journey to Eskdale and back.
A suitable comparison would be the journey from Dumfries to Kircudbright, a straight line distance of 24 miles. Route 502 (Dumfries to Castle Douglas and Castle Douglas to Kircudbright) runs between these two towns and the journey time is 80 minutes, which includes a 10 minute connection at Castle Douglas. The trip to Langholm will take longer than that.
Stagecoach Alexander Dennis AD Enviro 20D, at the Dumfries terminus on Whitesands, ready to leave on route 79 back to Carlisle via Annan and Longtown (journey time 100 minutes).
In the absence of that direct link, Traveline Scotland suggests taking Stagecoach bus 79 from Dumfries to Longtown (in Cumbria) to connect with the X95 Borders Bus from Carlisle to Galashiels, which passes through Longtown then on to Langholm. My bus left Whitesands on time at 1110, on its way to Carlisle. I bought a day ticket (which takes you to Carlisle) for £8.00, not bad for a 26 mile journey to Longtown (and back). Once leaving Dumfries, the 79 bus departs the A75 and follows the B724, a country road, all the way to Annan. This is a scenic route, passing through the villages of Clarencefield and Cummertrees. I have made this trip before, and the ride is bouncy, owing to the nature of the road (a gentle switchback) and the road condition.
At Annan, the bus again avoids the A75 and continues along the B721, another country road that takes us to Gretna and then into England, on to Longtown. We arrive at the Graham Arms bus stop in Longtown on time, at 1220. There is a 40 minute wait at Longtown, for the X95 connection to Langholm. There is a bus shelter by the northbound Graham Arms bus stop, which I guess would be an asset if making this journey in a wet November. The X95 is due at 1301, but arrives 10 minutes late. Heavy traffic along the A7 which runs through the centre of Longtown has probably contributed to this delay: there is no shortage of heavy vehicles along this route.
Stagecoach Alexander Dennis AD Enviro 20D in the new dark blue livery, on route 79 at the Graham Arms stop in Longtown. This bus arrived and departed whilst I was awaiting the X95 Borders Bus.
The X95 Borders Bus heads for Langholm, nine miles up the A7. This bus has space (opposite the wheelchair bay) to accommodate cycles. The onboard screen actively advertises that the bus can take bikes on board, as does the external artwork to the rear of the bus. Along the A7, the bus makes a couple of detours along country lanes, to visit first Canonbie and then Hollows, where we find Gilnockie Tower, “Historic Home to the Clan Armstrong”, the significance of which doesn’t register until we get to Langholm. The bus arrives at the High Street 10 minutes late, at 1335: an overall lapse time of 145 minutes for the 25 mile straight line journey.
I had a couple of hours to explore Langholm. I visited the exhibition celebrating the Langholm summer festival “Common Riding”, scheduled this year for 31 July 2026, incorporating a ceremonial ascent on horseback to a local monument, various horse racing events and an athletics competition. As interesting as this appeared, I was more intrigued by the commemorative information panel dedicated to astronaut Neil Armstrong, who visited Langholm in 1972, as his ancestral home. A blue plaque in the nearby Buccleuch Centre indicates that Neil Armstrong attended a reception on 11 March 1972, to receive the Freedom of the Burgh of Langholm.
Langholm was the ancestral home for Neil Armstrong. The two commemorative information boards in a garden close to the Town Hall mark his visit to Langholm in March 1972.
Whilst in Langholm, I picked up the Eskdale and Liddesdale Advertiser (16 July 2026). The front page proclaims, “Langholm to Dumfries bus service a possibility”. Reading on, I discovered that Annandale Community Transport Services (ACTS) is looking to introduce a seven day bus service connecting Langholm to Gretna, Annan and Dumfries, also serving local hospitals. Getting to the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary (DGRI) at Cargenbridge, west of Dumfries and to the other hospitals in Dumfriesshire is a challenge for the inhabitants of Langholm. It takes three buses to get to the DGRI: the X95, the 79 and finally the 111 hospital service from Dumfries town centre.
It is time to return to Dumfries. At 1540, the X95 Borders Bus arrives on time at the Langholm High Street stop. I am grateful for this punctuality, as I have only a seven minute connection at Longtown; and the 79 to Dumfries only runs hourly. I board with my £9.30 return ticket. Borders Bus operates the X95 on a commercial basis, so you expect to pay fares that reflect the cost of the journey. I don’t begrudge paying £9.30 for this return trip. More concerning is that I am one of only two passengers on this bus (a third having disembarked at Langholm). The X95 runs at two hour intervals throughout the day, but needs solid patronage to ensure that it is viable. The northbound bus earlier in the day was full by comparison.
We arrive at Longtown on time, so I am able to make my connection with the Stagecoach 79 back to Dumfries. I arrive back in Dumfries on time, at around 1720. The lapse time for the return journey was 100 minutes, considerable shorter than the outbound leg.
Another Alexander Dennis AD Enviro 20D on the Borders Bus X95 route, arriving at the Langholm High Street stop on the way to Carlisle.
Overall, an enjoyable outing to Langholm. On a summer’s day in July, the lapse time did not bother me, but perhaps I would view this differently in winter. I appreciated the comfort of the X95 Borders Buses, albeit that this part of the journey was relatively short (22 minutes each way).
Later, reflecting on this trip, as much as I enjoyed it, I should like to see a more direct connection between Dumfries and Langholm. I hope that the ACTS project for a direct bus link does make progress; that would be a giant leap. I look forward to using it!
The photographs are all mine.
Steven Ardron
22 July 2026
