Highchesters Hill

The walk up Highchesters Hill rewards you with something rare in the Scottish Borders - proper 360-degree views without the scramble. It's not a brutal slog either. From Hawick, you're looking at a straightforward hike that takes the best part of an hour to get to the summit, depending on your fitness and how often you stop for breath.

What you get at the top is the real draw. The Border hills roll out in every direction, and on a clear day you can pick out the spine of the Cheviots rising up to the south. It's the kind of vantage point that makes you understand why folk have settled in these valleys for centuries. The ground itself is moorland - rough grass and heather - so it feels genuinely wild without being inaccessible.

This is ideal for walkers after a proper hill without the Alpine guesswork. Families with older kids will manage it fine; younger ones might find the final section tedious. The main thing is timing - go early in the day if you want clear sightlines, and avoid it in thick mist when the view advantage disappears entirely.

If you're camping nearby at Stouslie Snugs, which sits just 2.2 miles away, this works brilliantly as a morning or late-afternoon walk. It's the sort of place that doesn't demand a full day - get up, enjoy the views, head back for lunch. Free to visit, no facilities on the hill itself, so bring water. Worth the short drive from Hawick.