The Pond Lodges - Fun Days Out

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.

The ruins include the tower house, one of the first of its kind built in Scotland, and the L-shaped artillery house added in the 15th century. The castle later became a royal castle, saw a siege in 1640 and passed into state care in 1913. The castle complex is open to the public, so it suits anyone curious about Scottish history and medieval defences.

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.

The design is simple on the outside, with a well-planned interior behind walls 2.5m thick, small window openings and gun holes. The lower storeys held stores and a prison, while the family rooms were on the upper floors. It is similar in style to nearby Threave.

The story is half the appeal. The McCullochs were noted for their lawlessness, and a bitter feud with the Gordons, who took over the castle, ended in a murder and an execution in Edinburgh. It's a good stop for anyone who likes castles with a dark past and a solid, intact tower to look around.

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.

It is a classic L-plan tower house, four storeys high, with an extra tower on the south-west corner. Look for the kitchen on the ground floor and the great hall above it, where guests were entertained. Behind the great hall fireplace is a peephole into a small room called the Laird's Lug, where conversations in the hall could be overheard. Above the entrance, a carved panel shows the coats of arms of Thomas MacLellan and his wife. The upper floors most likely held accommodation.

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

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.

Walk all the way around the moat to appreciate the castle's strength and shape, then cross the drawbridge into the courtyard. Climb to the South range for good views of the east range and the moat. A short nature trail leads to the foundations of an older castle that came before it. Afterwards, stroll the grounds or the neighbouring Caerlaverock Nature Reserve.

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.

The abbey was built in deep-red local sandstone in the Early English style. The church measured 203 feet long, and its central tower rose to 92 feet. Sections of the old precinct wall can still be seen around it. King Edward I stayed here in 1300 during his campaign in Galloway. In the same village, Monksmill corn mill stands at the other end of the main street, so you can pair the two. It suits history fans, and anyone curious about medieval Scotland.

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.

You visit by guided tour. Choose between a classic tour from grain to glass, a longer heritage tour with a deeper look at the distillery's story, or a shorter, small-group tasting of the core whiskies. Each ends with drams to try, and drivers are given takeaway drams instead. Tours are open to adults, and 12 to 17-year-olds are welcome too.

There is a visitor centre, and Café Melba serves food and drinks, so it is easy to stretch a tour into a relaxed half day. Free parking is available at the distillery.

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.

Drumlanrig Castle is the Dumfriesshire home of the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, set on the Queensberry Estate in Dumfries and Galloway. Built between 1679 and 1689 from distinctive pink sandstone, the "Pink Palace" overlooks the Nith Valley and has 120 rooms, 17 turrets and four towers. Inside is part of the Buccleuch art collection, including Rembrandt's An Old Woman Reading, along with tapestries and other objects of art.

The grounds give you plenty to do beyond the castle itself. The former stable yard holds the Stableyard Studios, with a range of local businesses, plus a tearoom, and part of the rear gardens has an adventure playground for children. Walking, hiking and cycling routes run across the estate. Nearby, aerial photography revealed the outline of a Roman fort, which the Time Team television programme partly excavated.