The nearby River Nith which is well known for its salmon and trout fishing is easily accessible for fishing. There is also excellent trout fishing to be had on many of the local lochs.

There are plenty of walking routes straight from the door of the cottage, as well as local forestry trails and more serious walks into the Galloway hills or on the Southern Upland Way, Scotland’s longest designated footpath.

If cycling is your thing both on and off road is very well catered for. The National Cycle Network traverses the region taking in more than 130 miles of stunning scenery, rugged coastline and forests. There are many opportunities for mountain biking, with five of the 7 Stanes easily accessible at the Ae, Mabie, Dalbeattie, Kirroughtree and Glentrool forests. Drumlanrig Castle also has its own graded mountain biking trails right on the doorstep.

The little village of Tynron (0.5 miles) is in walking distance of the bothy. A short distance from it at Tynron Doon you can see the ditches and ramparts of an Iron Age fort, as well as some magnificent views of the surrounding countryside from its 290 metre high vantage point.

Moniaive (2.5 miles) has a village shop, a tea room, pubs and a restaurant. Up in the hills outside the village at Cairnhead are a series of striking red sandstone sculptures called Striding Arches that were created by local artist Andy Goldsworthy and certainly add interest to the landscape.

The town of Thornhill (5.5 miles) has a good choice of shops, small supermarkets, pubs/restaurants, coffee shops and even a golf course. A couple of miles further on, the 17th century Drumlanrig Castle (7 miles) is definitely worth a visit for a guided tour of the interior and a rest stop at the castle tearoom. You can also explore its 40 acres of beautiful grounds and walking/mountain biking trails.

Horse riding or pony trekking is another great way to see the countryside and there are riding schools and stables with horses for hire, as well as trekking and trail riding.

For more serious shopping Dumfries (20 miles) is easily accessible for a day trip and has a wide range of shops, supermarkets, pubs, restaurants and eateries.