Jock's Shoulder

The walk up Jock's Shoulder rewards you with proper views across the Lowlands - the kind of panorama that makes the climb feel entirely justified. It's a decent fell rather than a brutal mountain, sitting in that sweet spot where you get genuine altitude without needing crampons and a rope team.

From Moffat, the approach is straightforward enough. The path climbs steadily through moorland, and you'll notice the landscape opening up as you gain height. The peak itself sits around 2,050 feet, which means you're high enough to feel the wind and see for miles when conditions cooperate. On a clear day, you can pick out the Solway Firth and rolling terrain stretching right across the Lowlands. When it's grey and drizzly - which, let's be honest, is fairly often - you get that moody Scottish moor experience instead, which has its own appeal.

Walkers will find this most rewarding. It's not a casual stroll, but neither is it a mountaineering expedition. Most people should allow around three to four hours return from the car park. Families with older kids might manage it without too much complaint, though younger legs could find it tedious.

If you're based at Moffat Camping and Caravanning Club Site - just under six miles away - this makes an excellent half-day venture. The town itself has proper amenities, which beats wandering back to a tent with nothing but a crushed sandwich. Start early if you're planning this in winter; daylight disappears fast, and the moorland can feel properly lonely once the light goes.