Ecclefechan Hotel

Grab your map and pencil out your route… your first point of interest is only within walking distance and it’s Thomas Carlyle’s birthplace (an influential writer, if you didn’t know, so his writing desk and bookshelf are some points of interest inside). Shopping or eating out is particularly splendid in Gretna Green (10 minutes), which is mostly known as the marriage capital of the UK, or there are more cities and towns where you’ll be well-set for a good shopping spree, sightseeing or trying out the local delicacies, from Dumfries (25 minutes) to Carlisle (25 minutes) with its castle, Roman bathhouse and stretch of Hadrian’s Wall. Of course, Glasgow (an hour and 10 minutes) is another good spot to get in some more sightseeing, as is New Lanark (an hour), an 18th-century mill village that’s been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As for places that are closer by, Caerlaverock Castle (half an hour) is one of those cool-looking castles you might find it hard to keep your eyes away from, while any keen golfers will find a course at the Lockerbie Golf Club (10 minutes).