Down Hill

The walk up Down Hill from Perth takes about forty minutes if you're moving at a decent pace, and the views across the Tay valley are genuinely worth the leg work. It's not a dramatic peak - you're only climbing to around 300 metres - but the open moorland at the top gives you sight lines all the way to the Ochils on a clear day. On a grey Scottish afternoon, mind, you'll be lucky to see fifty metres ahead.

This is proper walking country, and families with kids aged eight and up will manage it fine. Younger ones might find the final push tedious. The path itself is well-trodden and straightforward - no scrambling or technical bits. Bring decent boots though; boggy patches are common even when it hasn't rained recently.

What makes Down Hill work as a half-day outing is how close it sits to Perth. You can be up and back in two hours if you're local, or combine it with a longer ramble across the broader moorland if you've got a full afternoon. The nearby glamping spots at Greenhill Farm and Fossoway Cabins both position you well for this kind of walking - fifteen-minute drive tops.

Go in late spring or early autumn when the heather's decent and the midges aren't at their worst. Summer is popular but you'll share the path. Winter's grim unless you actually enjoy wind and horizontal rain. Free to access, no facilities at the summit, so come prepared.