Goat Hill

The walk up Goat Hill from Dalbeattie takes roughly an hour if you're not dawdling, and the views across the Solway Firth make it worthwhile. It's not dramatic - the Scottish Lowlands rarely are - but there's something satisfying about standing at the top looking out towards the coast and knowing you've earned a decent vantage point without needing proper hill-walking kit.

The path itself is straightforward enough, though it can get boggy after rain. You're looking at moorland and grassland rather than anything woodland-y, so there's not much shelter if the weather turns. The summit sits at around 580 metres, which puts it in that sweet spot for families who want a proper hill walk without the scrambling or serious elevation gain that stops most kids in their tracks.

Who gets the most from it? Walkers based at any of the nearby caravan parks - Sandyhills Bay, Coastal Kippford, or the closer Boutique Bothy Glamping Barns are all within spitting distance - will find this a decent half-day outing. It's the sort of walk you can fit round other plans without it consuming your whole afternoon. History types won't find much up there, but if you're after fresh air and a genuine sense of being out on the hills without the Highlands commitment, it delivers.

Go on a clear day if you can. Cloud obscures the view entirely, and there's nothing else on the summit to justify the trip if the visibility's poor. Summer months are best - winter can turn this into a bog run rather quickly.