22 Barend | Serenity 22 Barend

Dates filling up: 6 nights available 21-27 June, 2 nights in July, short breaks in August. Check availability.

Cosy wooden lounge with leather sofas and large TV inside Serenity 22 Barend holiday lodge near Sandyhills in Dumfries & Galloway

Smart TV / DVD

15 February 202523 April 202622 Barend

The lodge has a 55″ Smart TV (Toshiba 55QV2F63DB 4K QLED VIDAA).

It has live TV channels available through Freely. There’s also a multiregion DVD player connected, and a selection of DVDs for you to choose from.

Feel free to sign in to any of the streaming services on the TV (Netflix, Prime etc.); just remember to sign out again before you leave!

Alternatively you can bring a Roku or similar, Games Console etc. to connect to the TV (there are 2 spare HDMI ports).

You might want to set yourself a reminder to sign out of your accounts and pack away your devices and any of your remotes at the end of your stay! (That’s what I do 😄)

If you forget to sign out (I have before now 🤦🏻‍♂️), most streaming services have a “Manage Devices” section in your Account Profile, where you can sign out remotely, e.g.

Replaced lights in the lounge at Serenity 22 Barend

Threave House, Castle Douglas

24 July 202415 March 202522 Barend

We love Threave Estate and Gardens and enjoy visiting them. However, until now, we hadn’t managed to visit when the house was open.

Caerlaverock – the Triangular Castle

25 June 20244 May 202622 Barend

26 miles NE from Serenity (~45 min drive) DG1 4RU

We visited Caerlaverock Castle many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. We’ve visited many castles in the UK, but this one stuck in our memory, with it’s distinctive shape, moat and contrasting building style inside the castle walls.

A pint of Guinness with a design "printed" on the head!

Wanlockhead Inn, Scotland’s Highest Pub

18 June 202420 July 202422 Barend

After we’d visited Crawick Multiverse, we made the short(ish) journey to Wanlockhead Inn, Scotland’s Highest pub (1531ft / 467m above sea level)! It’s about 10 miles (20 mins) from Crawick Multiverse.

Crawick Multiverse, Artistic Landscape

18 June 20248 February 202522 Barend

Crawick Multiverse, near Sanquhar (pronounced “sang·kuh”) is a very interesting place to visit. I had a misconception of it when I first heard of it, thinking it was to do with science and geology. However, it’s actually a piece of “land art”. It was designed to reflect the cosmos in this area that’s celebrated for its dark skies.

Gone Fishing! near Barend, Dalbeattie

20 May 202428 October 202522 Barend

Barend Loch, nestled peacefully within the tranquil surroundings of the lodges, provides an idyllic setting for fishing.

Just 100 metres away, only a 4 minute walk!

Guests at Serenity don’t need a permit, and can enjoy fishing right on the loch opposite the lodge (however please only use barbless hooks). Legend has it that a monster 14lb carp was even caught here!

New Glazed Landing for Light & Privacy!

23 April 202416 March 202622 Barend

We’re excited to announce a recent upgrade at the lodge – a brand new landing area at the top of the stairs! Frosted glass fills the frames, allowing light to pass through and keeping a sense of openness with ample light for the landing and hallway. The design not only ensures privacy for anyone inside the room, as they can’t be seen from the other side, but also maintains the open and airy feel.

The Birch Tree Hotel, Dalbeattie

5 April 202412 July 202422 Barend

7 miles NW ~13 min drive DG5 4AH

Our Experience

We visited The Birchtree Hotel on a midweek evening in March. Initially we sat in the Bar area, unaware that there’s a separate restaurant area upstairs.

Walking & Hiking in Dumfries & Galloway

30 March 202412 May 202622 Barend

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:

Breakfast outside on a picnic bench overlooking a wild landscape

Top 10 places to eat near the lodge

16 November 202323 April 202622 Barend

It’s actually a top 7 list at the moment! The Crab Pot opened, then closed again! Also one or two of our other favourite places have closed in the last few months, so we’ll be using it as an excuse to eat out at a few more nearby 😋

April 2026 – Updates incoming, we ate at a few places on our recent trip (inc. Caddie’s Cove) and will update this page soon!

This list reflects our tastes and preferences, but we hope you’ll also enjoy going to eat at all of these places!

They’re listed by how close they are to the lodge, with a brief description and, where available, a link to our review so you can learn more.