Broom Caravan and Campsite

If you’re looking for an alternative to a day on the lake, immerse yourself in history instead. Annan Museum (less than 10 minutes’ drive) takes you through the history of the area, or you can talk money at the Savings Banks Museum (10 minutes), where there’s a fab piggy bank collection. Other options are the Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum (25 minutes), located on the site of the former RAF Dumfries airbase, and the Dumfries Museum (half an hour), with the world's oldest working camera obscura. As for historical sights, check out the triangular Caerlaverock Castle (25 minutes), which is surrounded by a moat and lawns, or the romantically named 13th-century Sweetheart Abbey (35 minutes). Alternatively, a visit to the grand Drumlanrig Castle and Gardens (50 minutes) can be topped off nicely with a treat in the tearoom. If shopping is on the cards, Gretna Gateway Outlet Village (20 minutes) is the place for some retail therapy. You can pay your respects to Scottish poet Robert Burns in Dumfries (25 minutes), taking in the statue, the mausoleum burial site and the museum at his former home, which houses various possessions including manuscripts and letters.