Braid Hill

The walk up Braid Hill from Biggar takes about forty minutes if you're moderately fit, and the payoff is proper reward for the effort. You're looking at a rounded summit around 1,500 feet, which sounds modest until you realise how much of the Southern Uplands opens out beneath you once you reach the top. The Lowlands stretch away in every direction - farmland, forestry, the kind of landscape that England folk often overlook because it's not dramatic enough to make the postcards.

It's a straightforward ascent rather than technical walking, which means families with older kids can manage it without drama, though younger ones might find the second half a bit relentless. The ground's rough in patches, so proper boots save your ankles. Allow two hours for the round trip if you're not rushing.

Truth is, Braid Hill works best on a clear day. Come up here in mist and you're just trudging through cloud. Pick your weather and you'll understand why locals rate it - the views across to the Pentlands on a sharp morning are genuinely something. If you're staying at Mount View Caravan Park just outside Biggar, it's an easy excuse for a morning out and gets you away from the caravan for a few hours without needing to plan anything elaborate. Not life-changing, but a solid Lowland hill that does exactly what it says on the tin.