Knockcurry (Cnoc Curraich)

The walk up Knockcurry rewards you with proper views across Dumfries and Galloway's rolling countryside. It's not a dramatic peak - you're only hitting 372 metres - but the ascent from Castle Douglas is straightforward enough for most walkers, taking around an hour up and back down depending on your pace.

You'll find yourself on open moorland with clear sight lines to the Solway Firth on a decent day. The summit itself is modest - no dramatic cairn or shelter - but that's rather the point. This is where locals come when they want fresh air without the scrambling. Children will manage it fine, though there's nothing to hold their attention once you're up there beyond the view, so don't expect them to linger.

Park holidays in the area centre on Loch Ken Holiday Park and Mollance Farm Caravan Park, both within a few miles. From either base, Knockcurry makes a solid half-day outing. Combine it with a walk along the loch itself or a poke around Castle Douglas town and you've got a proper morning sorted.

Timing matters. Go early to avoid the afternoon drizzle that Galloway seems fond of, and wear decent boots - the ground gets boggy after rain. Free to visit, naturally. Spring and autumn are best; summer midges can be brutal up there.