Knockbracks

The walk up Knockbracks is straightforward enough - you're looking at maybe two hours there and back from Stranraer, so it's the sort of thing you can slot in between other bits of your Dumfries & Galloway trip without clearing your whole day. The peak itself is modest by Scottish standards, but the views across to the Mull of Galloway and out towards the Irish coast make the climb worthwhile on a clear day.

Walkers will get the most from this one. It's not a technical scramble or anything demanding, just a solid hill walk with proper payoff at the top. Families with kids who can manage a couple of hours on their feet will be fine, though younger ones might find it a bit samey on the ascent. The slopes are forgiving enough that you won't be scrambling over rocks or dealing with anything sketchy.

When you're staying at Sands of Luce Holiday Park nearby - and it's only two miles away, which is handy - Knockbracks makes a decent morning sortie before heading back for lunch. The park itself is your base for exploring this corner of the Lowlands, and this walk gives you a proper sense of what the landscape around Stranraer actually looks like rather than just driving through it.

There's no visitor centre or facilities at the peak, so bring water. The ground can be boggy after rain, which is worth knowing. Free to access, obviously - it's a hill. Go when the weather's settled. Midge season will be grim.