Hill End

The walk up Hill End rewards you with proper views across the Lowlands - nothing fancy, but on a clear day you can see for miles. It's a straightforward climb from the Biggar side, taking the best part of an hour to reach the summit if you're not racing it. The peak itself is bare moorland, so there's no shelter whatsoever, which matters when the wind picks up the way it does in these parts.

This is walkers' territory, pure and simple. Kids might find the ascent tedious unless they're the hiking type already, but anyone with decent fitness and proper boots will get a genuine kick from it. The views justify the effort - you're looking out over rolling countryside that stretches toward the Pentlands on a good day. In summer the going underfoot is manageable; winter turns it into something altogether more serious.

If you're based at Mount View Caravan Park just down the road near Biggar, it's worth the detour as a half-day outing. Allow three hours there and back including a rest at the top. There's no facilities on the hill itself, so bring water and something to eat. The approach is free and unmanaed - you're just walking open moorland.

Bring a map and check the weather before you go. Hill End isn't dramatic or touristy, but it's the sort of place that sticks with you afterwards - honest moorland walking with no pretence.