Palms, Poets & Pilgrims - Day 4

Books, castles and gardens

From Whithorn head north to Wigtown, known as Scotland's National Book Town. Enjoy a stroll around town, browsing in the many, many bookshops that could keep you busy for a morning. The town is also famous for the Wigtown Martyrs - The Martyrs' Stake is where two women covenanters were drowned in May 1685. About a mile from Wigtown is Bladnoch Distillery, the most southerly distillery in Scotland.

Head back up to Newton Stewart and drive east towards Dumfries, stopping in at the town of Castle Douglas. Beside the town is the beautiful Carlingwark Loch, dotted with islands, where you can enjoy boating and picnicking. At the far end of the loch are Threave Gardens, the teaching garden of the National Trust for Scotland, which is open to visitors all year. On the other side of the A75 road, on an island in the River Dee, is 14th century Threave Castle, the great fortress of the Douglases.

Spend the night in the historic country town of Dumfries.