Hott Hill

The climb up Hott Hill from Hawick takes about an hour, give or take, depending on your fitness and how often you stop to catch your breath. It's not a brutal slog - more of a steady, rolling walk that builds nicely through moorland before opening out at the summit. The view across the Scottish Borders is genuinely worth the effort, especially on a clear day when you can see for miles across rolling hills and distant valleys.

What strikes you most is the sense of space. There's nothing manicured or visitor-centre-ified about it. Just open moorland, wind, and that particular quality of Scottish light that makes everything look a bit sharper than it should. On a grey day it's moody; on a sunny one it's glorious. Walkers will absolutely get this - it's proper hiking country without the altitude drama of the Highlands.

Families with older kids will manage fine if they're used to a decent walk. Little ones might find the final push tedious, and there's no playground nonsense to break it up, so set expectations accordingly. Allow a full afternoon if you're starting from Hawick.

Stouslie Snugs, just five miles away, makes a decent base for this sort of thing. You can do Hott Hill in the morning, be back for lunch, and still have the afternoon to potter about locally. The walk itself is free, as these things usually are, and there's parking at or near the trailhead. Go in spring or autumn when the light's best and the midges are less murderous.