McCollock'd Castle

You'll find McCulloch's Castle a few miles outside Dumfries, though 'castle' is doing some heavy lifting here - what you're actually looking at are the substantial ruins of a tower house that's seen better days. The structure dates back several centuries and sits in a fairly isolated spot, which adds to its appeal if you're after something quieter than the big tourist draws.

The ruins themselves are free to explore and accessible most of the time, though there's nothing fancy - no visitor centre, no interpretive boards, just the bones of the building left standing. You can get up close and poke around, which beats being corralled behind velvet ropes. The surrounding landscape is proper rural Dumfries and Galloway, rolling fields and not much else, so it's worth building a walk around it rather than treating it as a quick stop.

Historically-minded visitors will get the most from this one. There's a decent story attached to the place, though you'll need to do your homework beforehand since there's nothing on-site to tell you much. Families with younger kids might find it a bit thin - half an hour and you're done, unless the walk matters more than the destination.

If you're based at Parkdean Resorts Southerness or Caerlaverock Castle Corner nearby, McCulloch's Castle makes a sensible detour on a morning walk. Don't expect crowds or facilities, but that's precisely the point. It's the kind of place that rewards a bit of curiosity rather than coasting past.