We love the walking and hiking near Serenity 22 Barend and in Dumfries & Galloway.
From gentle strolls to more strenuous hikes, there’s rewarding scenery every time!
Here are some of the places we’ve enjoyed going to:
- Coastal Walk Sandyhills to Rockcliffe (9km) or Kippford (11km)
- Mares Braids Waterfall (2.25km or, from the lodge, 9km there and back)
- Fairgirth Farm to Dalbeattie Forest (6 km)
- Criffel (6 km – you don’t need to take the detour shown on the AllTrails walk)
- Dalbeattie Town Wood
- Walk from Kippford to Rough Island (7km there and back)
- Threave Gardens to Threave Castle (7km there and back)
- Threave Garden & Estate, Castle Douglas
- Circular walk around Carlingwark Loch and through Kelton
- Loch Ken
- Clatteringshaws Loch
- Grey Mare’s Tail and Loch Skeen (4.5 km)
These are walks we plan to do on future visits:
- Screel Hill (5.5 km)
- Merrick (12.7 km)
- Lotus Hill Circular (5.5 km)
- New Abbey Circular (12.4 km)
- Waterloo Monument Circular (3.7 km)
- Mersehead RSPB Reserve (4.7 km)
- Dalbeattie Forest Walks
- Corserine (12.9 km)
- White Coomb and Loch Skeen (7.6 km)
- Cairnsmore of Carsphairn and Black Shoulder (11.9 km)
- Colt Hill/Benbrack Arch (9.2 km)
There are many more trails for you to enjoy, so here are some links for you to plan your next amble, walk or hike:
- Forestry and Land Scotland > Dalbeattie > Walking trails
- Walking in and around Dalbeattie & Colvend (Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland) PDF
- Dalbeattie Walks on dalbeattie.org
- Best Trails in Dalbeattie on AllTrails – you may need to register (free)
Book self catering accommodation for your next walking holiday: Book Now
The legalities of walking in Scotland
Since 2003, you have the right to walk on nearly all land in Scotland, provided you follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. These access rights were established by the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. However, you only have access rights if you exercise them responsibly.
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code has three main principles:
- Respect the interests of other people
- Care for the environment
- Take responsibility for your own actions.
Areas where access rights do not apply
There are some areas where access rights do not apply, including:
- Private houses, structures and gardens
- Industrial land – like quarries and building sites
- Visitor attractions with admission fees
- Fields with growing crops, but you may use field margins
- Recreational sites such as sports pitches but normally only at times when access rights would interfere
Rights also never extend to prepared surfaces like tennis courts or bowling greens, but you have the right to cross golf courses, avoiding the greens.
Trespass in Scotland
Before the 2003 Act, access was freely taken in Scotland using something called ‘custom and tradition’.
These customary ‘rights’ still apply as long as you’re causing no damage and walking responsibly. So, you may walk on land where statutory rights don’t apply without committing an offence.
This includes places such as farmyards or across dams, but you should still heed local advice, for example to avoid hazardous operations in farmyards.
Access to farms in Scotland
Scottish access rights include responsible access to farmers’ fields.
Avoid damaging the crop by using paths, tracks or unsown ground. If walking in narrow field margins, walk in single file, or consider alternative routes on neighbouring ground.
Access rights do not extend to farmyards, but many people take access through farmyards when following paths and tracks.
If a right of way or ‘core path’ (a route designated by local authorities due to its importance) goes through a farmyard, you can follow this at any time. But if a reasonable alternative route is signposted, you should use it.
If there is no path, you might be able to go through the farmyard if the farmer is content or if access has been taken there in the past. Alternatively, you could use your access rights to go around the farmyard.
If you do go through a farmyard, be careful and respect the privacy of residents.
Where to wild camp in Scotland
You can camp on all land where Scottish access rights apply, provided you follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code‘s ‘leave no trace’ principles. That means camping in small tents, in small groups and moving on after two or three nights.
Avoid enclosed fields, buildings and historic structures like castles. Use a stove rather than open fires, and carry a trowel to bury human waste at least 30 metres from lochs or burns.
Access rights don’t apply to cars or vans, and you must park legally. The Code suggests avoiding camping next to roads, so carefully consider what is responsible. For example, how visible is your tent and could you move further away?
