Barwick

The walk up Barwick is short and sharp - twenty minutes of proper leg work that rewards you with a view across Dumfries and Galloway that frankly justifies every breathless step. You're looking out over the Lowlands from a modest 262 metres, and on a clear day the perspective shifts entirely. The peak itself is bare moorland, nothing fancy, just grass and stone and wind.

This is one for walkers who don't need a three-hour epic to feel satisfied. The climb is steep enough to get your heart going but not so brutal that you'll spend the descent cursing. Families with older kids will manage fine - youngsters under eight might find it a bit much, though some will surprise you.

Castle Douglas sits just down the way, so you can park there and walk in, or combine it with a lazy afternoon at Loch Ken Holiday Park if you're staying nearby. The park's nothing extraordinary - decent enough for a week - but Barwick itself is the draw. Go early if you can. The wind picks up something fierce by afternoon, and the light changes everything around four o'clock anyway.

Free to climb, free to visit. No facilities on the peak itself, so bring water. Allow ninety minutes return if you're steady on your feet, two hours if you're taking it easy. Worth the detour? Yes, if you're in the area. Don't go out of your way for it, but if you're basing yourself in Dumfries and Galloway, this is a crackling short walk that actually delivers.