Old Caerlaverock Castle

The ruins sit in a field about half a mile from Caerlaverock Castle Corner Camp Site, which makes them dead easy to reach if you're staying in the area. What you're looking at is genuinely old - we're talking 13th century - though what remains is fragmentary. The stonework is red sandstone, distinctive and striking even in decay, with enough of the structure still standing to give you a proper sense of scale.

This isn't the showstopper that the main castle is. The remains are modest, scattered across the ground, and you'll work out what you're looking at faster than you'd expect - perhaps twenty minutes if you're thorough, less if you're just passing through. History buffs will find it worth the detour from Dumfries, particularly those interested in how medieval fortifications evolved. Families with young children might find it a bit underwhelming on its own, though it works as a quick stop if you're combining it with the larger castle nearby.

The setting is peaceful, which counts for something. The field is open and windswept - bring a jacket. There's minimal infrastructure that I could see, so come prepared. As a complement to a wider castle-hunting trip round Dumfries & Galloway, it's useful. As a standalone destination, it's brief. If you're camping at Landis Farm CL or Criffel View nearby, it's easily tacked onto a morning's exploration without much fuss.