Travel: Dumfries and Galloway

Published on Monday 28 March 2011 20:32

With hectic jobs and weekends filled with taxiing kids around, we needed proper family bonding time away from the daily grind. We'd done the camping - too draughty and cold.

Gone past the B&Bs stage - too little space. And as for hotels - well, let's just say we were too skint to get a look-in.

So what better than a campervan trip to provide that sense of outdoor adventure and freedom to explore at will, and a comfy place to eat and sleep?

After picking up our Toyota campervan from Big Tree Campervans in Perthshire, we headed south for Dumfries and Galloway.

The area boasts a stunning coastline, extensive forests, rugged but kid-friendly hills and some charming towns and villages.

We planned to take our time to soak up the scenery and soon found that everything we'd heard about life on the road in a campervan is true - only better.

It's so easy to pack up the van and head off at a carefree pace, stopping whenever you want to take in a view or brew up a mug of tea. The compact size of the van also made parking a breeze at our first stop in Castle Douglas, where we stocked up with supplies.

Munching happily on pastries, we headed three miles west to Threave Castle, a 14th-century tower built by Archibald the Grim.

Standing on an island in the River Dee and managed by Historic Scotland, it's accessible only by a short but pleasant boat crossing. Once you've landed you can walk around the base of the tower, which has the remains of an artillery fortification.

Now it's surrounded by wildflowers - as well as otters and ospreys hunting for prey in the nearby waters.

That night, we settled in a holiday park near the picturesque seaside village of Kippford. After a tasty tea cooked on the stove and a whirl around the playpark, we got ready for bed.

Up top in the extendable roof space, Dan and Phoebe made their cosy den for the night and settled down to watch a film on the van's portable DVD player.

Meanwhile the grown-ups made a roomy bed by folding away the sofa and table and using the cushions as a mattress.

What was even better was that while tucked up under the duvet, the chilled wine - and delicious home-made flapjacks, courtesy of Big Tree Campervans - were just an arm's length away in the fridge.

The surprisingly spacious living quarters include a fridge, a sink and running cold water, a two-burner stove and cupboards filled with kitchen utensils.

And the fact our van was converted to run on LPG Autogas as well as petrol (half the cost of normal fuel) meant filling-up didn't make a major dent in our wallet.

First stop the next day was a walk along the front, past the whitewashed cottages of Kippford.

Popular as a base for sailing, there's a pleasant path that winds alongside the pebble and shell beaches. At low tide you can walk out across a causeway to Rough Island, but we headed on through woodland to the nearby coastal village of Rockcliffe.

This village first became a popular spot for relaxation and recreation in Victorian times when many of the houses along the seafront were built. But the nearby ancient hill forts of Castle Hill and Motte of Mark testify to occupation of this area long before this time.

After a picnic lunch we hit the road again. After our morning's exercise we needed a treat and headed for the Cream O'Galloway visitor attraction.

Once a dairy farm producing cheese, you can now watch them produce and taste more than 30 delicious flavours of ice-cream.

And with a fabulous kids' adventure play area, extensive nature trails and an organic restaurant on hand, we could see why the place was packed with families.

For our second night, we parked up in Sandyhills on the banks of the Solway Firth. Playing cards around the table, we looked out across the sands to the Lakeland Fells.

When the kids finally flaked out, we sat and counted the stars in a spectacularly clear night sky. What a magical end to a magical trip.

THE FACTS

Big Tree Campervans (01738 788056, www.bigtreecampervans.com) are based off the main A9 in Bankfoot, Perthshire. You can hire two to four-berth Toyota campervans, petrol or dual-fuel, from 90 per day.

Minimum hire period is three days. Welcome pack includes tea, coffee, milk, flapjacks and eggs from their hens. Extras include DVD players, bike racks, external gas bbq, and an awning with a sleeping compartment.

This article was first published in The Scotsman, 16 April, 2011