A companion who shares their interests, in Dumfries and Galloway

Somewhere to go

Wintering geese and level avenues on the Solway

WWT Caerlaverock Wetland Centre, Dumfries

A wetland reserve on the Solway merse with a network of avenues and bird hides, busiest when the barnacle geese and whooper swans arrive for winter. A carer can book a wheelchair in advance, plan a short there-and-back route and settle in a hide with a flask when standing gets tiring.

Getting around: There is step-free entry to the ground floor of all hides, flat wide avenues suitable for wheelchairs, free accessible parking and wheelchairs to hire.

Source: wwt.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.

Somewhere to go

Flat reserve trails at Mersehead

RSPB Mersehead, Dalbeattie

An RSPB coastal reserve of wet grassland and farmland behind the Solway shore, with waymarked trails and hides for watching geese, lapwing and natterjack toads. A carer can check tide and ground conditions first, drive to the Blue Badge bays and keep the outing to the firmer wetland trail rather than the sandy coastal route.

Getting around: The trails have no steps or stiles, and Blue Badge parking bays are about 400m from the hides.

Source: rspb.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.

Somewhere to go

Threave Garden, a teaching garden near Castle Douglas

Threave Garden & Nature Reserve, Castle Douglas

A National Trust for Scotland garden of about 26 hectares used to train student gardeners, with walled garden, rose borders, glasshouses and spring daffodils. A carer can take one section at a time, use the level visitor centre and café for a rest, and turn the visit into a talking point for someone who once gardened themselves.

Getting around: Routes throughout the garden have been adapted for all ranges of mobility, the visitor centre, café, shop and toilets are all on one level, and there is disabled parking next to the visitor centre.

Source: nts.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.

Somewhere to go

Subtropical planting at Logan

Logan Botanic Garden, Stranraer

A Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh site on the Rhins peninsula where the Gulf Stream climate supports tree ferns, palms and southern hemisphere planting. A carer can ring ahead to reserve a wheelchair or mobility scooter and stick to the gentler routes near reception rather than the steeper gravel paths.

Getting around: Reception and the ticket desk are reached by a wide, mostly level route from the car park, are accessible to wheelchair and mobility scooter users, and a hearing loop is available.

Source: rbge.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.

Somewhere to go

Kirkcudbright Galleries in the artists' town

Kirkcudbright

The town's nineteenth-century town hall now holds changing exhibitions and works by artists linked to the area, including Hornel, Jessie M King and the Faeds. A carer can time a visit for a quieter weekday and combine a short look round with a sketchbook session or coffee nearby.

Source: visitscotland.com. Check opening times and access before you go.

Somewhere to go

E A Hornel's house and studio garden

Broughton House & Garden, Kirkcudbright

The Glasgow Boy E A Hornel lived and painted here from 1901, and the house keeps his studio, art collection and a Japanese-influenced garden running down towards the River Dee. A carer can arrange a visit in opening season and let someone paint or draw from a seat in the garden rather than tackling the whole house.

Source: nts.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.