Knockendoch

This isn't a famous peak - you won't find queues or a café at the top - but that's precisely what makes Knockendoch worth the leg work. Rising above the Dumfries and Galloway landscape near Landis, it's a proper hill walk rather than a casual stroll, and the views across the Scottish Lowlands reward the effort. On a clear day you can see for miles, which is rare enough in this part of the world to feel like a genuine achievement.

The walk itself takes a couple of hours depending on your fitness and how long you linger at the summit. It's the kind of place that appeals to serious walkers rather than families after an easy afternoon out - the terrain is rough in places and there's real elevation involved. History types might appreciate that you're walking through land steeped in the region's past, though there's nothing obvious to point at along the way.

If you're staying at one of the caravan parks dotted around Landis, Criffel View, or further afield at Parkdean Southerness, Knockendoch makes for a proper outing that gets you away from the holiday park crowd. It's free, naturally, and best tackled in decent weather - mist rolls in quickly here and the views become pointless. Wear proper boots and take a map. Don't expect facilities or crowds; expect solitude and genuine hill walking.