Kelton the Beltie

There's a rather unusual landmark just outside Castle Douglas that stops you in your tracks - Kelton the Beltie, a bronze sculpture of a Belted Galloway cow. It's the sort of thing that makes you do a double-take on a country drive, then laugh at yourself for pulling over to photograph a statue of a cow.

The Belties themselves are iconic to this part of Dumfries & Galloway. These distinctive black cattle with their white "belts" running round the middle are virtually the symbol of the region, and this sculpture celebrates them rather brilliantly. The detail is good - you can actually appreciate what makes these animals special just by looking at it.

It's not a destination in itself, frankly. You don't book a week's holiday to spend two hours staring at a cow statue. What it is, though, is a proper little roadside stop if you're exploring the area. A quick photo opportunity, a brief moment of oddity that breaks up a car journey through beautiful Dumfries & Galloway countryside. Kids find it amusing - there's something about seeing a famous local animal immortalised that appeals to them.

If you're staying at one of the caravan parks nearby - Mollance Farm, Galloway Glamping, or any of the others clustered around Castle Douglas and Kippford - it's worth a five-minute detour. Combine it with a wander round Castle Douglas itself, or push on to explore the lochs and forests nearby. But visit it expecting what it is: a charming quirk, not a major attraction.