“Do not build a castle around one act of kindness; do not build an empire around one act of cruelty.” -Paul Bamikole
The first day over the border and I headed straight for three castles – Caeverlock, Threave and Douglas – ok, I know that the last one is a cheat!
Caeverlock Castle, near Dumfries, was a destination I’d hoped to get to last year but didn’t quite work in the timings. I’m quite glad really because last year was raining and today I got to see it in the dry and its full glory; a fantastic tri-towered castle sitting in the middle of a moat – it’s what castles are meant to look like! I enjoyed a walk inside and out thanks to my Historic Scotland membership and enjoyed taking a few photos, as well as climbing the battlements.
Having looked around Caeverlock I asked the lady working in the shop for a suggestion of where to visit next and she pointed me towards Threave Castle. This fortress is situated in the middle of the River Dee which you have to cross by boat (included in the ticket). Whilst there isn’t loads to see here the atmosphere of the place is incredible and there’s a very enjoyable walk around the site which some picturesque landscapes of the river and castle.
I had planned to visit Threave Gardens but there was some sort of charity day taking place so I headed into Castle Douglas to grab some food instead – it is, after all, marketing itself as a “food town”. I came across a rather lovely Dutch restaurant and where the poffertjes (mini puffed up pancakes) were incredibly tasty and fantastically good value. The town also has a beautiful lochside park where I relaxed until I headed over to my B&B for the night.
Addendum: Have loved listening to Jon Acuff’s Finish audio book – challening, humerous and practical – well worth getting hold of.
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