By Zoe Newsam
Published: Nov 25, 2016More by Zoe
Heading north from England, many people drive straight up the M74, without so much as a glance to the left. But left of that road is Dumfries and Galloway, almost half the width of Scotland at that point!
Dumfries and Galloway hold some of our country’s best-kept secrets. It’s easily accessible from our biggest cities. Yet so wild and remote that it earned the honour of becoming the first of the UK’s Dark Sky Parks.
The Galloway Forest Park contains some of the most remote and beautiful terrain in Scotland. And yet, many visitors bypass it on their way to the highlands. Why not Head to Glen Trool and take a walk up The Merrick instead? At just over 800 metres, the highest mountain in Southern Scotland offers views of Ireland, the Lake District, and the Isle of Man on a clear day. Believe it or not, I’ve even been able to make out the faint outline of the hills of North Wales!
There are a multitude of activities to keep you busy in Dumfries & Galloway, rain or shine, winter or summer. Here are just a few of my favourites.

Walking above Loch Trool in Galloway Forest Park.