Ca' Knowe

There's not much left of Ca' Knowe, to be honest. What you're looking at near Hawick is a crumbling tower from the 1500s, the kind of place that rewards a detour if you're already walking the Scottish Borders but might feel a bit underwhelming if you've driven out specially. The stone work suggests it was properly built once - a defensive position that meant something - but time and weather have been rough on it.

The appeal here is more about the landscape than the ruin itself. You get sweeping views across the moorland, which on a clear day does properly take your breath away. It's a proper walk to reach it though, so come with decent boots and realistic expectations. Historians will find the bones of it interesting - the tower tells you something about how this border region was fortified - but families with restless kids might find twenty minutes is enough.

Free to visit, naturally. Allow a couple of hours if you're making a proper expedition of it, longer if you want to explore the surrounding terrain. The nearest facilities are in Hawick, which is about four miles away and worth a stop for lunch. If you're basing yourself at Stouslie Snugs nearby, it's a decent morning outing to add to a broader walk. Don't come expecting a visitor centre or interpretation boards - this is archaeology in its rawest form. Bring a map.