Greendykes Bing South Top

The walk up Greendykes Bing South Top is less about the destination and more about the excuse to get out of Edinburgh proper. This reclaimed industrial site near Newbridge has been allowed to go wild, and what you're climbing isn't some dramatic peak but rather a former shale mine heap that's now covered in rough grassland and scrub.

You'll get proper views across the Lowlands from the top - nothing jaw-dropping, but on a clear day you can see far enough to justify the effort. The path is straightforward enough, though a bit muddy in places if the weather's been damp. It takes about an hour return if you're not hanging about, forty minutes if you're keen.

Families with kids will find it manageable but unremarkable. Walkers doing a longer circuit through the area will get more from it than day-trippers after a quick outdoor fix. There's something quietly interesting about walking across reclaimed land where industry used to dominate - the landscape has completely transformed itself.

It's free to access, no facilities at the top, so bring water. If you're staying at Linwater Caravan Park just down the road, it's worth tacking on as a morning walk before heading into Edinburgh. Worth the detour? Only if you're already in the area and fancy a leg stretch with a modest view. Go when the weather's decent - on a dreich day it's just a muddy hill.