Forest bathing at Dalbeattie Forest

Dalbeattie Forest rises from the edge of the town, between Dumfries and Castle Douglas. It is mainly pine, with oak and beech growing among them near the old granite quarries at the top of the forest, a reminder of the town's quarrying past. The Town Wood car park is just off the A710 towards Colvend, about half a mile out, and the forest is also known for its technical mountain bike trails.

The Birch Trail is the one for slow time: about a mile of wide, firm gravel with gentle slopes, through mossy pines, with places to stop and sit and granite sculptures to find. The Plantain Loch Trail follows the shore of the loch, where you may see red squirrels, grey herons and, in summer, dragonflies; it has a short rough section with roots and a few steep slopes. The Quarry Trail climbs steeply to the quarries. Toilets, shops and cafés are in Dalbeattie.