The three Dumfriesshire dales of Nithsdale, Annandale & Eskdale are a rural playground of Heather Clad Hills, Linns with tumbling waterfalls, babbling rivers & ever shifting merse & firth. Despite being bisected by the main road into Engl&, these dales were known more intimately by the discerning Victorians than they are today. Time, then, to rediscover the charms of this peaceful corner of Scotl&. Whether it's a morning exploring the country's highest village, an afternoon paddling the shores of the Solway or an evening gazing at star-filled skies, Darren Flint & Donald Greig's h&-picked selection of 40 walks reveals what it is that makes this unassuming part of the world so special.