The three Dumfriesshire dales of Nithsdale, Annandale and Eskdale are a rural playground of heatherclad hills, linns with tumbling waterfalls, babbling rivers and evershifting merse and firth. Despite being bisected by the main road into England, 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 Scotland. 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 and Donald Greig¿s hand-picked selection of 40 walks reveals what it is that makes this unassuming part of the world so special.

Dumfries and Galloway is an area of rural charm and striking landscapes, where a slower pace of living and travelling comes naturally. The first comprehensive guidebook to the area, Bradt's Slow Travel Dumfries and Galloway covers the region in depth, from Eskdale to Scotland's southern tip at the Mull of Galloway, via Annandale, Nithsdale, Dumfries, The Stewartry, The Machars and Moors, and the Rhins. Lively descriptions, historical anecdotes and enthusiastic writing combine with hand-picked accommodation recommendations to reveal one of Scotland's best kept secrets. With the local tourist board halfway through an ambitious six-year plan, the area's profile is on the up. Go now, before the secret is out.