Gateshaw Rig

The walk up Gateshaw Rig is properly steep and takes the best part of two hours, but the views across Dumfries & Galloway from the summit are worth every aching calf muscle. You're looking out over moorland that seems to roll on forever, with the Southern Uplands stretching away in layers of purple and grey depending on the light.

This isn't a gentle stroll. The path from Moffat climbs relentlessly through rough grassland and heather, and in wet weather it becomes a proper bog. Boots are essential, not optional. But the peak itself sits at just under 2,350 feet, which means you're high enough to feel genuinely remote without needing mountaineering skills or hours of scrambling.

Walkers will get the most satisfaction here - families with young kids might find it frustrating rather than fun, though determined teenagers with decent fitness could manage it. On a clear day, the visibility is excellent. On a misty one, you're basically climbing into cloud and hoping the summit cairn appears before you run out of hill.

Moffat sits roughly 3.7 miles away and makes a decent base if you're combining this with other Lowland peaks. The camping and caravan sites around town - Moffat Camping and Caravanning Club Site and Riverside Holiday Park are the closest - give you easy access to the hill without the long drive back from elsewhere.

Allow four hours return for a comfortable pace, longer if the ground's boggy. There's no admission fee or facilities on the hill itself, so pack water and something for lunch.