The Forest

The Forest near Lockerbie is essentially a sprawling stretch of mixed woodland that's dead useful if you've got a car and need to burn an hour or two without paying a penny. It's not the wild Highlands experience - this is tidy, managed forestry with decent walking trails threading through the trees, the sort of place where you'll actually see other families and feel properly safe wandering about.

What you get is straightforward: forest paths, some decent vantage points if you know where to look, and enough room to let kids run about without worrying they'll vanish into moorland. The trails vary in length and difficulty, so you can do anything from a gentle twenty-minute stroll to something longer if you're feeling ambitious. Spring brings bluebells in patches, which is lovely, and autumn colours can be proper striking.

It's the sort of spot that works brilliantly as a break during a caravan holiday at Hoddom Castle - just six miles away - when you've spent a morning on the roads. Real walkers won't find it challenging, but families with younger legs or anyone after a straightforward woodland walk will get proper value here. No facilities to speak of, so bring water and a packed lunch if you're making an afternoon of it.

Go midweek if possible. Weekends draw the usual crowd. The paths can get muddy after rain, which is fine unless you've got toddlers in buggies. Free access, no faffing with opening times - you just turn up.