Meadow Plantation

Walk into Meadow Plantation near Thornhill and you're immediately swallowed by proper woodland - the kind where the light filters green through the canopy and the path gets soft underfoot. It's a straightforward forest walk rather than a manicured attraction, which is exactly what makes it worth your time if you're after something genuine.

The plantation itself is mixed woodland, nothing pretentious about it. You'll find decent trails winding through, and it's the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think - or hear the woodland doing its thing, which amounts to the same thing really. The paths are manageable for families with older kids, though younger ones might find the distance tedious depending on which route you take.

Timing-wise, allow a solid hour minimum if you're doing more than a quick loop, longer if you've got time and want to potter about. There's something about Scottish woodland that makes you want to slow down.

If you're staying at Penpont Holiday Park, just four miles away, Meadow Plantation fits nicely as a morning or afternoon excursion without eating into a full day's plans. It's the sort of place that pairs well with exploring Thornhill itself - pick up supplies, do your walk, have a proper tea somewhere.

Best visited when the ground's not sodden, though the mud adds to the experience rather than detracts from it. Bring decent shoes either way.