Doon Valley Railway

The old railway line running through Doon Valley is one of those pleasantly forgotten stretches of Scottish countryside that remind you why people actually built railways here in the first place. It's a proper scenic route - gentle valley sides, trees, the River Doon keeping pace alongside - and what makes it special is that you can actually walk or cycle the trackbed without needing to book anything or pay a fortune.

You'll find the best access near Maybole, where the valley opens up nicely. The track is mostly level, which is its main charm. Families with younger legs won't struggle, and history buffs will appreciate the old stone bridges and the occasional hint of what the original stations looked like. It's not a white-knuckle walk - more a gentle amble through what the industrial lowlands used to be.

Allow two to three hours for a decent section. The whole thing is free, though you'll need to find your own way onto the trackbed. Weekday mornings are quieter than weekends, especially if you're avoiding the school run crowd from nearby Maybole.

If you're based at Freedom Fields Glamping - which is only a couple of miles away - this slots in perfectly with a park holiday. It's the sort of walk that doesn't dominate your day, leaving time for a proper pub lunch or a wander round the local villages. Worth doing once if you're in the area, though don't expect anything too dramatic.