Brown Hill

Brown Hill rises up from the Lanarkshire countryside near Biggar with the kind of unassuming charm that makes Scottish Lowland walks genuinely rewarding. It's not a dramatic scramble - more a steady pull uphill through moorland and rough grass - but the views across to the Pentlands and down toward Clyde Valley make the effort worthwhile.

The summit itself is modest, but that's the point. You get proper 360-degree views without the crowds you'd find on bigger peaks. On a clear day you can see right across the Southern Uplands. The walk takes most people two to three hours depending on fitness and how often you stop to look around.

This works brilliantly if you're based at Mount View Caravan Park nearby. It's close enough for a half-day outing but far enough from town that you feel you've gone somewhere. Families with reasonably confident walkers will manage it fine - kids might get tired near the end, but there's real satisfaction in reaching the top of your own peak.

There's no visitor centre or facilities at the hill itself, so come prepared with water and snacks. Go on a clear day if you can - the mist that rolls in can be atmospheric but it rather defeats the purpose of coming for the views. Best tackled in late spring through early autumn when the ground isn't waterlogged.