Plan your visit

What to expect on your visit

Parts of the abbey ruins and grounds are open for you to explore, including the nave and the cloister.

While conservation work is ongoing, some areas of the abbey won't be accessible and can be viewed through protective fencing. Ticket prices have been reduced while access restrictions are in place.

We hope to reopen some further areas of the abbey later this summer but the scaffolding on the tower will remain in place.

How we look after our sites

Opening times

1 April – 30 September

Monday: 10am to 4.30pm
Tuesday: 10am to 4.30pm
Wednesday: 10am to 4.30pm
Thursday: 10am to 4.30pm
Friday: Closed
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: 10am to 4.30pm

Last entry and closures

Last entry: 30 minutes before closing
Closed: 1 October to 31 March

Prices

Ticket type	Price (walk-up only)
Members	FREE
Adult (16-64 years)	£4.50
Concession (65+ and unemployed)	£3.50
Child (7-15 years)	£2.50

More ticket types including family, Explorer Pass and partner organisation tickets are available.

How to get here

Sweetheart Abbey is in New Abbey, close to Main Street (A710).

View Sweetheart Abbey on a Google map

Journey Planners

Search for National Cycle Network routes with the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust.

Plan your journey by public transport using Traveline Scotland.

Address

New Abbey
Dumfries
DG2 8BU

National Grid reference:

NX 965 622

Contact

01387 850 397

Accessibility

Carers' tickets

Visitors with disabilities are charged standard admission rates (adult/concession/child). Proof of disability is not required. Up to two accompanying carers receive free entry per transaction.

Parking

The large public car park next to the abbey is level loose gravel. There are no accessible bays marked.

Approach to the site

The site entrance is about 90m from the car park along a level tarmac road.

What to expect at the site

Sweetheart Abbey is on relatively level ground. The main routes around the monument are surfaced in gravel or short cut grass. Surfaces are firmer in dry weather.

There is a good view of the remains of the abbey from the cloister path, which is surfaced in gravel.

The numerous archaeological remains within the grass around the site can be difficult to see.

There are steps down into some rooms, but these can also be viewed from the cloister path. There is one step up from the porch into the nave.

Toilets

There is an adapted toilet in the public car park next to the abbey.

Dogs

Assistance dogs are permitted at all our sites and within roofed areas. Visitors' dogs are allowed at Sweetheart Abbey, but are not permitted in roofed areas. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times and not left unattended at any time.