The Old Sunday School

Couples and small families will find The Old Sunday School works well for a week exploring this corner of southwest Scotland. The converted 1793 building—originally cattle housing below and the village school above—sits next to the owners' home, a working farm on the Solway coast. Two bedrooms (one double, one with singles) and two bathrooms mean everyone has their own space. The ground floor opens into a kitchen with a full range of appliances and dining area; upstairs, a sitting room with a wood burner and a second bedroom with its own ensuite, though note that steep spiral stairs connect the floors.

The property comes with Wi-Fi, heating, bed linen and towels. An enclosed garden has seating and a barbecue. Sandyhills beach is the closest, but this stretch of coast offers plenty of walking—through woodland and along hills as well as the shoreline. Cyclists have the Seven Stanes and National Cycle Network nearby; horse riding, golf and fishing are accessible, and Loch Ken has watersports. Castle Douglas, a market town three miles away with local food shops, cafes and restaurants, makes a natural day trip. The nearest shops are two and a half miles; a pub is three miles away.