We often have enquiries to come on our holidays that end with a sentence that will go something like “ what weeks do you have the best weather? “ I thought of this over the New Year as we rode along the coast road beyond Kirkcudbright. “ This is better than a summer ride “. I said it out loud as the sun was shining, almost zero wind and perhaps I was on a festive high.

Tradition demands that, as symbols of purity, snowdrops first appear on 2nd of February to coincide with Candlemas, the Christian Feast of Purification. Nothing suggests that snowdrops could be up before year’s end in Scotland. But our finger of rock sticks out into the Irish Sea, and is warmly embraced by the gulf stream.

For years this area has been known as a mountain biking destination. But with hundreds of square miles of forest, coastal paths and farm tracks this is now a world class destination for gravel and adventure cycling. Don’t take our word for it, Red Bull love gravel too and featured us in their top 9 UK rides.

Some of the oldest May Day traditions are connected with dew. According to folklore, the dew on 1 May has magical properties and anyone who washes their face in it will have a flawless complexion for the entire year.