UKC

Off to Gatehouse of Fleet area without much of a plan except taking bikes, canoe and kayaks. Anyone been recently with family and have any suggestions. Might try the Merrick with at least one little person, and wondered if any of the crags are family friendly.

Clifton and Thirlstane are both pretty family friendly. Lots of the beaches have kid friendly lowball bouldering.

It's a bit of a drive but the coast at
  Sandyhills is very spectacular at low tide when you can walk along the sands below cliffs and arches and look in the caves

7 Stanes is a pretty obvious choice. Mabie farm park good for kids, depending on their age.

Clints of Dromore are nearby. Small, pleasant crags not far from the road (10 minutes level walk by memory). Took my kids there when they were small.

Have only done Merrick from the East and its a bit of a beast. Probably a bit easier fro Glen Trool

I have done a fair bit of kayaking around here, its actually pretty good. Just watch out for the big tidal ranges and mud flats.

Good launch points at Isle mouth beach, Brighouse bay right hand side (lw and hw) at Rockvale which makes a nice paddle out to Little Ross island - watch out for the ebb tide here but otherwise hardly any tidal flows to worry about. 

Lots of otters on this coast as well

Good climbing on Meikle Ross but not really family friendly

I grew up in the area. If you want a nice day out for a rest, consider a little history‐based day tour around the Machars. Wigtown (Scotland's book town) and the historic market town for cafes and a browse round secondhand book shops, drive down to Whithorn for the priory/museum and out to the coast for a lovely short walk to for St ninian's cave and/or a walk to St ninian's chapel at the Isle of Whithorn (great community owned cafe here too). For some ancient history, you could go via Cairn Holy or Torhouse stone circle. Cruggleton castle ruins from Garlieston is a nice walk, and you can appreciate the WW2 history, where the mulberry harbours were developed in secret.

7 stanes is great, kirrochtree is a family favourite (again, an excellent locally run cafe). If the Merrick is a bit much (depending where you start, it can be a bit of a bog trot), then a walk around Loch Trool from Bruce's stone (with the Robert the Bruce history) is another family fave.

Have a great time