A host of popular historic sites across the region remain closed due to safety concerns.
And the organisation that looks after the iconic buildings, Historic Environment Scotland (HES), is “unable to give a date” as to when they will reopen.
That has prompted fears tourists may be put off coming to Dumfries and Galloway.
Concerns over the condition of masonry at a number of locations – including Lochmaben Castle, Morton Castle near Carronbridge and Threave Castle near Castle Douglas – prompted HES to close many properties to the public earlier this year.
The grounds of New Abbey’s Sweetheart Abbey and Caerlaverock Castle are open – allowing the latter to host a jousting event in the summer – but the buildings themselves remain shut.
Although several of the sites were only closed this year, some – such as Sweetheart Abbey and Kirkcudbright’s MacLellan’s Castle – have been shut since 2019.
The ongoing closures prompted South Scotland MSP Emma Harper to raise the issue with HES officials.
And she was left disappointed that they could not commit to any dates for reopening buildings.
Ms Harper said: “People the world over come to see our history and I agree that it is incredibly frustrating that many of these historical sites are either partially or fully closed to the public.
“This is a major deterrent to people visiting our bonnie region, and I have had residents and visitors alike contact my office to express their disappointment.
“While I thank Historic Environment Scotland for their response to me, I am disappointed that they are unable to provide a date by which the sites, currently or partially closed across our region, will be reopened by.
“I also understand the complexity of some of the works, like high level stonemasonry, which is required, but there does seem to be a lack of urgency to get these sites reopened.
“I am therefore, today, calling on Historic Environment Scotland to set out detail of exactly which works are required at each of these sites, and to come up with a projected timescale for the completion of the works, with a view to reopening these sites to the public as soon and as safely as possible.”
A spokeswoman for HES said: “A number of our sites in Dumfries and Galloway still have access restrictions in place as a precaution after we identified a potential safety risk to visitors and staff from unstable masonry at a high level at some of our sites.
“The accelerating affects of climate change is one of the key contributors to the issues already identified on a number of sites; this is not an issue which just affects sites in Scotland but we believe we are amongst the first to proactively tackle it.
“We’re currently undertaking a prioritised programme of inspections at the affected sites.
“We have now completed the first phase of these, which has included Carsluith Castle and Sweetheart Abbey and we are now progressing to inspect the next group of prioritised sites, including surveys at Caerlaverock Castle and Whithorn Priory which are due to start early 2023.
“Where possible, we’ve maintained visitor access, including the grounds at Caerlaverock Castle and the cloister at Sweetheart Abbey, with 73 per cent of the year-round sites we care for fully or partially open across Scotland.
“ At this stage, we’re unable to give a date as to when we will be able to restore full access to sites until we have completed the survey, analysed the results and undertaken any repairs.”
