DARK SECRETS

Guess where we went last summer?

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A two-week tour that took in the UK's first Dark Sky park, also its largest forest, the world's smallest post office, the First World War's largest munitions factory, one of just seven UNESCO biosphere reserves in the UK, the oldest privately owned whisky distillery in the world. More clues?

OK, it’s Scotland. But we’re also in the region where you'll find its National Book Town, the home of its national bard, the National Trust for Scotland’s first stately home (given to it by the Kennedy family, to avoid inheritance tax), most southern point, and highest pub (and village).

And where folk to this day still flee to come and get married. You’ve got it with Gretna Green, but what do you know about the area it acts as an official gateway to?

Dumfries and Galloway has all of the above, and a whole lot more. Plus, if you want somewhere to go on the UK mainland that will keep you relatively free of other tourists, even in the high season, D&G can even help out here, too.

It actually starts off very touristy. If you're heading up from the south, as we did, the easiest instruction is to take a left as soon as you hit Gretna Green and its complex of shops, eateries, museum and its Famous Blacksmith's Shop wedding venue. I'm not sure if this is a spoiler alert, but be warned: it's no longer possible to just turn up and get hitched.

Starting with a bang?