We stayed in a large holiday home, The Old School House, about 20 minutes walk from the High Street of Newton Stewart. It is located in a quiet residential area and has a whirlpool in the garden – luxury, especially after a rainy day on the road. Those who are brave enough to throw their dreams of the Scottish Highlands overboard and follow my advice will be rewarded with all the benefits of off-beat travel: more affordable accommodation that can be booked more last-minute, more space at car parks and attractions, and less busy roads and traffic. There are standing stones, grand houses and exotic gardens, quirky towns dotted with book shops and independent businesses, you can even visit Scotland’s version of the Avenger‘s New Asgard! There are many kid-friendly activities, ideas for romantic getaways and outdoor adventures waiting for you. For lunch, we stopped in the coastal town of Kirkcudbright which sits where the River Dee meets the Solway Firth. It is known as an artists’ town and has attracted many Scottish artists since the late 19th century. Today, the streets are lined with quirky and colourful houses, and there are lots of galleries and artist studios waiting to be explored.

The Galloway Forest Park is a beautiful recreational area for hikers and cyclists and has many scenic picnic areas too. It is recognised as Dark Sky Park and if you are keen to learn more about the night skies above, I can highly recommend a detour to the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory near Dalmellington. They also host educational stargazing evenings which you can book online for any of the nights you spend in Dumfries & Galloway. Late 180s: The legions in Britannia embroil themselves in politics and several leading figures were approached with a view to becoming Emperor. The tribes in Scotland appear from records to be left in peace while the Roman garrison ferments political agitation, ending temporarily with the assassination of Commodus but resurfacing in support of the governor Clodius Albinus.You could for example seamlessly continue with my West Coast of Scotland itinerary by taking the ferry from Ardrossan to Campbeltown!

We had to make our way to the airport at a good pace and chose the most direct path north through the Galloway Forest Park. That way, the road was our sightseeing and we only stopped for a few photos of mountain and forest views in the area. AD: Carausius, with the support of the British legions and substantial elements of the Rhine garrison creates the breakaway British and Gallic empire.These retreats were such that Tacitus writing (with hindsight) in ca 98 would claim that Caledonia was: “conquered then immediately thrown away”. From the bird colonies and nature reserves on the east coast to the coastal walks and lighthouses of the west, the remote hills and mountains of the Southern Uplands to the lush banks of the River Tweed. The landscapes in the south of Scotland are incredibly diverse and so are the activities you can do there. Which brings me to… 3. The South has Something for Everyone However, despite having two paid jobs, his finances remained shaky. He had become a partner in a printing firm, which put him into debt, not helped by the enormous sums he spent on his mansion, Abbotsford. From 1813, writing to pay the bills, Scott thumped out a flood of historical novels, producing his best work within the space of ten years: Waverley (1814), The Antiquary (1816), Rob Roy and The Heart of Midlothian (both 1818), as well as two notable novels set in England, Ivanhoe (1819) and Kenilworth (1821). AD: Trouble near Hadrian’s Wall is recorded in 364 by Ammianus: “Now as though trumpets were blowing for war throughout the whole Roman world, the most fearsome tribes mobilised and poured across the nearest frontiers. At one and the same time, the Alammani were causing havoc in Gaul and Raetia, and the Sarmatae and Quadi in Pannanonia; while Picts, Saxons, Scots and Attacotti were inflicting on the Britons a continuous series of calamities.” Drive toward Dumfries, and stop after 40 minutes in colorful Kirkcudbright (ask a local how to pronounce it!) on the coast for sea air and views of the 16th-century MacLellan’s Castle. After 45 more minutes on the road, you’ll arrive in Dumfries, following in the footsteps of Scotland’s most famous wordsmith and national bard, Robert Burns. Visit the Burns House (where he spent his final years), have lunch at the Globe Inn (the master’s favorite watering hole) and look out for his statue in the town square.

We stayed at a large holiday home in Newstead, about a 5-minute drive from the centre of Melrose (25 minutes on foot). The Old Paper House is a converted farmhouse with beautiful exposed wooden beams, tasteful decoration and a massive garden. It has 4 bedrooms and space for up to 8 people. Perfect for a family trip like ours! If you fancy a longer hike with some elevation, you could return to Melrose in time to climb the Eildon Hills. There are three summits, but you could easily also just focus on one if you have less time. The trail starts in the centre of Melrose,is straight forward and easy to follow but can be muddy at times. Sturdy hiking shoes with good grips are highly recommended, as is proper raingear and a map of the area.The final stop of the day is Stranraer, a coastal town on the shores of Loch Ryan. You can walk along the refurbished pier and glimpse views of Arran and Ailsa Craig. But in recent times, the town has become increasingly well-known for its focus on music. AD: Aulus Plautius invades southern England and smashes the southern tribes at a series of encounters at river crossings. Claudius arrives to receive the southern tribes formal submission at modern Colchester then leaves with instructions to Plautius to conquer “the rest”. Rosslyn Chapel is covered in decorative elements inside and out, from gargoyles and statues to columns and stained-glass windows. The stone is carved in the most intricate manner and some of the columns on the inside, in particular, have caused a lot of artistic jealousy. Apparently, the master stonemason even killed one of his apprentices for carving a more beautiful column than him!

Most people who arrive at one of the international airports in Glasgow or Edinburgh can only think about one thing: going north. They have been dreaming of the Scottish Highlands, the mountains and the valleys that they have seen all over blogs, in TV shows and on billboards.

The Maphill difference

To get the most out of the stunning scenery of this area, follow an easy coastal trail out to Killantringan Lighthouse. The loop-trail takes around 3-4.5 hours to complete. Stop 4: Live music in Stranraer One of seven forest biking centres in southern Scotland – known collectively as the 7 Stanes (w scotland.forestry.gov.uk/activities/mountain-biking/7stanes) – Glentress Forest, two miles east of Peebles on the A72, has some of the best mountain biking in Scotland. There are five superb, carefully crafted purpose-built trails, colour-coded for difficulty, and a fantastic bike hire centre, The Hub (t 01721 72136, w www.glentressforest.com). Sir Walter Scott