Drumchesnie

The walk up Drumchesnie isn't long, but it's steep enough to make you feel like you've earned the view. This modest peak rises just north of Castle Douglas and gives you the kind of panorama that makes the huffing and puffing worthwhile - Loch Ken spreads out below like a sheet of silver, and on clear days you can see well beyond the immediate moorland.

It's a proper hill-walker's proposition rather than a family stroll, though determined kids with decent legs will manage it. The climb takes roughly 45 minutes to an hour depending on your pace and the state of the paths, which can be boggy. The summit itself is windswept and relatively bare - no fancy viewpoint or café - but that's rather the point. You get the Galloway landscape without the crowds.

Historically types will appreciate the wider area's connections to the old droving routes and local farming heritage, though Drumchesnie itself is more about the walking than any specific attraction. If you're staying at Loch Ken Holiday Park, this makes an excellent half-day outing that won't eat into your broader itinerary. The proximity to Castle Douglas means you can combine it with a morning exploring the town before or after.

Go on a day when the cloud's lifted properly. On a grey afternoon it's just bog and mist, and the appeal rather evaporates. Free, naturally - it's a hill.