Heart of the Glen

Whether you’re into hiking, mountain biking or sitting quietly observing wildlife, head to Galloway Forest Park (half an hour’s drive). Walks come in various levels of difficulty (from woodland strolls through to scrambles up Merrick mountain), and there are heaps of MTB trails. At the Red Deer Range you can observe the behaviour of a 25-strong herd. The sandy beach at Ayr (55 minutes) overlooks the Firth of Clyde and is skirted by National Cycle Route 7, which leads all the way up north to Inverness. Burns Cottage, where the poet Robert Burns was born in the mid-18th century, displays his portable writing kit alongside manuscripts and personal effects. In Dumfries (one hour), the children might enjoy visiting the home that inspired JM Barrie to write ‘Peter Pan’: Moat Brae is an elegant mansion on the River Nith with treasure trails and a play room with costumes and other props. Exhibits at the Dumfries Museum include fossils and prehistoric weapons.