Outdoor Spaces
Explore
Fall in Love with Great Spaces at Gretna Green since 1754
Explore our free, fun outdoor spaces. Meander through our sculpture garden, walk over to our LOVE Wall and leave a lock of your own, and try not to lose yourself or your lover in our Courtship Maze. Our younger visitors will love our theme playpark where they can climb, slide, and explore to their hearts’ content.
Courtship Maze
The Courtship Maze is a free, family-friendly attraction and great fun for visitors of all ages.
An impressive structure by the car park, the Courtship Maze is shaped like a pair of interlocking wedding bands (symbolic of its romantic location) and built from stone.
Before you enter the Courtship Maze, you will notice two entrances: this symbolises the beginning of our life’s journey, which we make independently before we meet our partner. Choosing which entrance is the first of many decisions, twists and turns that will either lead to dead ends or the goal!
In the spirit of the Courtship Maze, we suggest that couples choose separate entrances, and along the way, through various features within the maze, you will get the chance to catch a glimpse of each other; maybe a fleeting chance to touch, even kiss but no opportunity to get together until you reach the bridge at the centre of the maze.
For families, it is a journey of discovery and competition – can the brother beat the sister, or the daughter beat the dad?
The Courtship Maze is open daily from 10 am, and entry is FREE for everyone. Grab a LoveLock from any of our shops before you head in to commemorate your visit, either by locking in on the bridge, within the maze or outside on our LOVE wall.
The Gretna Green Love Lock Wall
The tradition of attaching a lovelock to a bridge and then throwing away the key was popularised following the publication of an Italian novel in which a pair of young lovers attach a lock to a bridge in Rome. The key is thrown away (often into the river below), leaving the padlock on the bridge forever – thus symbolising the permanence of the couples’ love and affection.
You can join this romantic tradition at Gretna Green since 1754 through the Love Lock Wall at the Original Home of Romance. It’s a 120 square-foot sculpture that fondly holds the lovelocks of lovers from nearby and much further afield, literally a giant LOVE wall.
Our Love Wall gets fuller and fuller by the year, but there are still heaps of nooks and crannies to attach your lovelock to. Visit with your significant other and pick up a couple of Love Lock Padlocks in our shops, take them to the Love Lock Wall and lock your love for each other together on the wall for eternity.
The Gretna Green Sculpture Garden
Take a pleasant stroll through our Sculpture Garden or relax in the seating areas provided by the Famous Blacksmiths Shop for you to enjoy.
Opened in 1984 and expanded over the years, our sculptures are true monuments of beauty created by amateur and professional artists.
Some of the highlights of our sculpture garden are:
The Gretna Green Lovers
Probably the most photographed ‘couple’ in Scotland, the Gretna Green lovers sculpture -which occasionally sports an authentic Scottish kilt – was commissioned to represent our history and heritage as the Original Home of Romance.
The Big Dance
The Big Dance is the title for the centrepiece sculpture in our Sculpture Garden at Gretna Green, created by Ray Lonsdale, a highly acclaimed artist from County Durham. It stands at an impressive 13ft tall and is a much-loved backdrop for wedding photography and holiday snaps.
The Gretna Green PlayPark
Gretna Green’s brand new playpark will spark the imagination. It encourages active play in a safe, dynamic space where children can climb, slide, and explore to their hearts’ content. Meanwhile, parents can unwind in the covered seating area behind the Larder, perfect for relaxing with great food and drink while keeping an eye on the action. It’s a space thoughtfully created for everyone to enjoy, blending relaxation with play in a seamless family experience.
Where to Find Us
Get to us by car or coach: We are located just off Junction 22 of the M74 and Junction 45 of the M6. Simply set your Sat Nav or phone to DG16 5EA to find us.
Get to us by train: Catch a train to Gretna Green Station from Glasgow, Edinburgh, or Manchester via Lockerbie or Carlisle. Exit the station toward Gretna Hall Hotel—we’re just a short walk further up the hill.
