Millennium Cairn

A stubby tower of stacked stones sits on a Dumfries & Galloway hillside near Thornhill, marking the year 2000 with the kind of understated Scottish practicality that makes you smile. The Millennium Cairn is exactly what it says - locals piled up rocks to commemorate the turn of the century, no fuss, no visitor centre, just a modest monument with proper views across the rolling Lowlands.

It's a five-minute stop rather than a destination in itself, the sort of thing you'd do while passing through or combining with a proper walk in the area. The surrounding countryside rewards a longer ramble, so factor in thirty minutes or an hour if you're inclined to explore the footpaths rather than just snap a photo and move on. Free to visit, naturally - there's nothing to charge for.

Families with young kids will find it a decent motivator for a short country walk, though it won't occupy them long once they've reached it. History buffs might appreciate the millennial context, but don't expect great archaeological drama. What you're really paying for is the excuse to get outside and enjoy the Lowlands landscape, which is genuinely attractive in a quiet, unshowy way.

If you're camped at Penpont Holiday Park just down the road - barely half a mile away - this is an easy evening stroll or a quick morning detour. Red Squirrel Campsite sits five miles north if that's your base. Neither park will bore you with just this cairn alone, but it's a pleasant local addition to a proper Dumfries & Galloway break.