St. Ninian's Park

The track down to St. Ninian's Park takes you through scrubby woodland and open grassland before opening onto a proper coastal nature reserve. Once you're there, the Solway Firth spreads out in front of you - wide, grey, and moody depending on the weather. It's a working nature reserve rather than a manicured visitor attraction, which is refreshing. You get mudflats, saltmarsh, and rocky shore where waders and wildfowl feed. Bring binoculars if you're into birdwatching; it's genuinely good for spotting redshank, oystercatcher, and if you're lucky, the rarer visitors that use this stretch as a stopover.

The walk itself is straightforward - no scrambling involved - and the views back towards the coast are worth the trip on their own. Families won't find amusement arcades or ice-cream vans, but kids old enough to enjoy a proper walk and spot wildlife will get something out of it. Bit of wind exposure out on the mudflats, so dress for the weather.

It sits well with a caravan holiday at Haven Craig Tara Holiday Park, just 5.5 miles away. That's an easy drive or a decent bike ride if you're staying there. Allow an hour and a half for a leisurely wander and some proper looking about. Free to access. Go when the light's good - late afternoon in spring or autumn catches the water beautifully and brings birds closer to shore.