Barclay Hill

The walk up Barclay Hill from Dalbeattie takes about forty minutes if you're not dawdling, and rewards you with proper views across the Solway Firth toward England. It's a modest peak by Scottish standards - nothing that demands fell boots or a packed lunch - but the climb feels genuine enough, especially on a blustery day.

What strikes you most is the sudden wideness of it all once you reach the top. The surrounding moorland rolls away in every direction, and on clear days you can pick out the Lake District fells across the water. The granite outcrops near the summit are worth scrambling around, though they're slippery when wet.

Walkers will find this worth an hour or two, particularly families with reasonably confident legs. It's not technical, just steady. The terrain is rough moorland and bracken - fine in summer boots, muddy in winter. There's no marked trail to speak of, so it helps to know the landscape.

If you're based at one of the nearby holiday parks - Sandyhills Bay is closest at just over a mile - this makes a decent morning outing before returning for lunch. Kippford, a short drive away, is the more established seaside base if you want shops and a decent café. Barclay Hill itself is free to access and there are no facilities on or near the summit, so bring water. Go on a clear day or don't bother - mist turns it into a trudge through indistinguishable moorland.