The route can be started from any point, but if you’re coming from Dumfries, consider making your first stop Sweetheart Abbey, a now-ruined religious hub that offers history and romance in equal measure. Lady Dervorgilla founded the ornate abbey in the late 13th century in tribute to her beloved husband, John Balliol, whose embalmed heart she carried with her in an ivory casket. If you love history, you might also find time to fit in Caerlaverock Castle, located on the other side of the River Nith. This moated, triangular ruin was also built in a red-hued sandstone, similar to that of Sweetheart Abbey, and is the epitome of a medieval stronghold.