GG's Yard

No need to go too far to kick Scottish hols off right, as castles, scenery and golf are all within handily easy reach: the nearest castle (Cardoness) is just five minutes’ drive away, it’s 20 minutes from base to 18 holes of championship golf, and views are as easy as looking out the window. For a touch more history, make tracks for Threave Garden and Estate (20 minutes) and Castle Kennedy Gardens (40 minutes), the former in the grounds of the 19th-century residence Threave House and the latter in the grounds of old castle ruins. If longer journeys aren’t an issue, the 13th-century moated triangular castle of Caerlaverock, the looming ruins of Sweetheart Abbey, and the spectacular and sprawling Drumlanrig Castle are all within about an hour. Return to present-day adventures a little closer to home base with an afternoon at Cream o’ Galloway, 10 minutes away – it’s got ethical dairy cheeses and ice cream to try (and buy), as well as go-karts, trampolining, nature trails, and wildlife to meet. Prefer a more urban experience? The town of Dumfries is 45 minutes away and is a top spot to visit for galleries, museums and a handful of worthy Robert ‘Rabbie’ Burns sites, and the city of Carlisle and its castle, cathedral, museums, pubs and restaurants is roughly an hour and a half from the site.