Criffel is a hill in the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire, Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland. It is 570 m high but appears higher because of its great isolation and high prominence. It is a prominent feature in many of the views from the northern Lake District on a clear day.

Rockcliffe is one of Scotland’s most beautiful coastlines, stretching along the Solway Firth on the southern edge of Dumfries and Galloway. Part of a National Scenic Area, this National Trust for Scotland nature reserve is fringed with wildflowers and dotted with sailing villages. Further inland the shells and shingle give way to patches of ancient broadleaved woodland and meadows, rich with flowers, butterflies and birds.

Set in the Queensberry Estate, complete with a country park and Victorian gardens, this 17th century castle is one of the most important Renaissance buildings in the country. The Dumfriesshire home of the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, Drumlanrig Castle with its magnificent rooms and spectacular collections of silver, porcelain, French furniture and art – including Rembrandt’s Old Woman Reading – is perhaps one of the most rewarding and romantic of Scotland’s great houses.

The waterfall, one of the UK’s highest, plunges 60m down into the Moffat Water Valley. This dramatic upland landscape was created by glacial erosion over millions of years and unfolds further up steep slopes past the waterfall to picturesque Loch Skeen. Towering above the loch are the peaks of Lochcraig Head, Mid Craig and the summit of White Coomb (821m), with breathtaking views extending as far as the Lake District and Northumberland to the south.

There’s something here for everyone – open space to play, picnic and barbecue, lots of trails with spectacular views, and plenty of opportunities for wildlife watching.

Mabie’s woods and hills are peaceful today, but there’s plenty of evidence of industry here, if you know where to look. The Romans made charcoal and smelted iron in these hills, and forestry has always been important in this area.The Forestry Commission bought Mabie in 1943, as part of a major wartime tree-planting scheme to rebuild timber reserves.

Mabie is also one of the world-class 7stanes mountain biking centres and caters for beginners right through to the most expert of riders.