Bonshaw Tower

The tower stands alone on a hillside near Lockerbie, a proper 16th-century stronghold that's seen better days but hasn't lost its punch. Built around 1540, this five-storey structure was the Johnstone family's statement of power in the borderlands - a region where stone towers went up the way some folk build garden sheds, except with considerably more violence involved.

What you get is the shell of the thing, honestly. The walls still stand, the views across the Dumfries & Galloway borderlands are solid, and if you're interested in how the Scottish gentry lived during the reiver days, there's something tangible here. Climb up if the stairs haven't entirely surrendered to time. The interior's fairly sparse - no fancy furnishings or interpretive panels - but that's rather the point. You're looking at raw, muscular history.

It's worth the detour if you're already wandering the area, particularly if you're staying at Cressfield Caravan Park just down the road. Allow 45 minutes maximum, less if you're not climbing to the top. Families might find it bit underwhelming unless the kids are genuinely keen on old fortifications. Walkers and anyone serious about border history will get more from it.

Check conditions before you go - weather can make the site muddy and the stairs dodgy. It's free, obviously, given there's nobody manning the gate. Late spring works well, when you can actually see the landscape properly.