Cocklehaen

The earthen ramparts of Cocklehaen rise unexpectedly from the landscape just outside Castle Douglas, a Roman fort that's largely been reclaimed by grass and time. What you're looking at is the ghost of a military installation from around 80 AD - turf-built defences arranged in a rectangular plan, the kind of place where soldiers stood watch over the frontier between Roman Britain and the lands beyond.

There's not much to do here in the traditional sense. You walk the perimeter, trace the outline of the fort's walls with your eyes, maybe take a photo. History enthusiasts will find it genuinely compelling - the spatial layout tells you how the Romans organised their occupied territory, and the remoteness of the location drives home just how far from home these troops actually were. For most people, though, twenty minutes covers it.

It's free and always accessible, which is the way these things should be. The walk from Castle Douglas takes about thirty minutes. Bring decent boots if it's been wet - the ground gets boggy in places.

If you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks like Castle Point or Kippford View, Cocklehaen works as a half-hour diversion on the way to somewhere else rather than a destination in itself. Pair it with a proper walk along the Solway coast, or crack on to Threave Castle for actual buildings with walls still standing. The fort won't keep you long, but it's worth knowing it's there.