High Kirkland Holiday Cottages: The Byre

MacLellan's Castle stands in the centre of Kirkcudbright, on the south side of the River Dee. Building began around 1577 for Thomas MacLellan, on the site of a ruined Greyfriars monastery. The castle was never finished, and the roof had collapsed by the time the family sold it in 1752. It is now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.

Tip: Look for the peephole behind the great hall fireplace and the carved coats of arms above the entrance.

Threave Castle stands on an island in the River Dee, about 2.5 kilometres west of Castle Douglas. Archibald the Grim built it in the 1370s, and it was a stronghold of the Black Douglases, Earls of Douglas and Lords of Galloway, until their fall in 1455.

Cardoness Castle is a well-preserved six-storey tower house just south west of Gatehouse of Fleet, built in the later 1400s for the McCulloch family, a prominent Galloway clan. It is now cared for by Historic Environment Scotland.

Caerlaverock is a moated castle on the southern coast of Scotland, about seven miles south of Dumfries. Its triangular shape is unique among British castles, and it has a wide moat, a twin-towered gatehouse and lofty battlements. First built in the 13th century, it was the stronghold of the Maxwell family and was besieged by the English during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

Tip: Head up to the South range for the best views over the moat, then follow the short nature trail to the older castle's foundations.

Sweetheart Abbey is a Cistercian monastery founded in 1273 in the village of New Abbey, about 8 miles south of Dumfries. Dervorguilla of Galloway founded it in memory of her husband, John de Balliol. She kept his embalmed heart in an ivory and silver casket for the rest of her life, and it was buried alongside her. She named the abbey Dulce Cor, Latin for Sweet Heart.

Bladnoch is a Lowland single malt distillery on the banks of the River Bladnoch, near Wigtown. Founded in 1817, it is the most southerly whisky distillery in Scotland, and it has a long and eventful history of closing and reopening.

Tip: Tours are appointment-only, so book by midnight the day before. The visitor centre and café are open Tuesday to Saturday only. Tours are not suitable for wheelchair users or walking aids, and high heels are not allowed.