Don't miss out on the delights of beautiful Dumfries and Galloway

Getting from A to B in plenty time is, usually, a good thing.

And while we moan about the state of some of our urban and rural roads, roaring along a fast, straight motorway can be a time-saving treat.

The only problem is that you can whizz past some real beauties without really realising they’re there.

The M74 is a great example – great for dashing between Scotland and England, rubbish for missing out Dumfries and Galloway.

Tucked away in the south-west corner of the country, it can get overlooked. And that’s a real shame because we found you can get a delightful taste of what it has to offer just minutes from the motorway.

No, really. We were hardly in pretty little Moffat when we felt like kids in a sweet shop – well, big kids in a sweet shop.

The Moffat Toffee Shop does exactly what it says on the tin. Or the big jar. All 500-plus of them, stuffed with soor plooms, midget gems, pan drops and, of course, toffee.

They’ve been making it, apparently, since the 19th Century, so little surprise they seem to have got it just right.

Not necessarily a must-sook at a dentists’ convention, but a real belter all the same.

One thing we know for sure about Dumfries and Galloway is that it’s big and sprawling. From rolling inland countryside to rugged coastal beauties, it’s got the lot.

So, on a flying visit we’re only going to be able to scratch the surface.

Next whistlestop halt is Dumfries, busy, bustling and a Mecca for Burns-lovers who want to check out the red sandstone house where he spent his latter years.

A riverside walk and an hour or two of wandering around the town are all we have time for before pressing on.

It’s the coast we’re heading to for a chill-out, away-from-it-all break.

Sandhead is our destination. At first glance it’s a one-street town, but we soon realise it’s a beach beauty of a one-street town.

The gorgeous sands stretch for more than a mile and as the tide is out they seem to be never-ending.

The picnic tables behind aren’t tempting us on a breezy late afternoon but we can imagine the whole place buzzing with the forthcoming lighter nights.

Our berth is a pebble’s throw away. Honestly, you could easily hit the pretty Tigh Na Mara hotel with one, but there’s no excuse for such behaviour.

We’re in one of the cosy – that’s wee, but lovely – rooms in the cottages adjoining the main hotel.

The bar is low-ceilinged and wonderfully traditional and the restaurant is classy and obviously the sort of place people travel to for a cut-above night out.

Between the hefty helpings and the equally plate-packed full Scottish the following morning a bracing walk along the beach was a wise move before some more exploration.

Just a short drive away is Portpatrick. In days gone by it was both a busy sea and railway link.

But the ferries to Ireland and the train station have long since vanished.

It’s a beautiful little place, though, worth seeking out for a walk round the harbour and more.

That more is a heck of a lot more for some as the harbour is the starting point for the 212-mile Southern Upland Way.

We’re not feeling nearly that adventurous or ambitious, but with calories to burn we do head up the steps to the cliffs.

The views back down are stunning, matched only by those out to sea and also the ruins of Dunskey Castle.

Sitting on a rocky outcrop it has, actually, been ruined for an awfully long time.

Wonderfully imposing-looking when built between the 16th and early 17th Century, it was derelict by 1700.

It’s a case of looking from outside as there’s no access – and do take care on the coastal path as the cliffs are not to be messed with.

But it’s so rugged and wild that time flew by and after a good explore back in the village, it was getting late again before we finally returned to Sandhead.

With a clear, big old sky overhead we could appreciate why the Galloway Forest became the UK’s first Dark Sky Park.

Just another reason for another visit – and why Dumfries and Galloway is worth stopping in, rather than passing by.

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