Ellershie Hill

The walk up Ellershie Hill takes about forty minutes from the car park near Biggar, and it's one of those climbs that feels steeper than the map suggests. Once you're at the top though, the view across South Lanarkshire opens up properly - rolling farmland, distant hills, the works. It's not dramatic in a Cairngorms sort of way, but it's genuinely pleasant, the kind of walk locals do without making a fuss about it.

Families with older kids will manage this fine. Younger ones might find the final push tedious, especially if it's muddy. The path itself is straightforward enough, no technical bits, just a steady grind uphill. On a clear day you can see for miles, which makes the effort worthwhile. On a grey Scottish afternoon, it's less inspiring - you're basically walking into cloud for the last quarter hour.

There's no admission fee or facilities at the summit, so bring water and don't expect anywhere to sit down for a cuppa. Forty minutes up, forty minutes down - give yourself two hours total if you're not a quick mover. Best tackled in decent weather; after rain the grass gets properly boggy.

If you're staying at Mount View Caravan Park nearby, this makes a solid morning activity before heading into Biggar for lunch. It's the sort of walk that fits neatly into a park holiday without dominating your day. Worth doing if you're in the area, but not worth a special trip from elsewhere.