Knockenhair

The walk up Knockenhair is straightforward enough - nothing too technical, but the climb from Sanquhar gets properly steep in places and the wind at the top can catch you off guard. It's a moorland fell rather than a dramatic peak, but on a clear day the views back towards the Southern Uplands are genuinely worth the effort.

This isn't a destination that'll hold your attention for hours. You're looking at a couple of hours round trip from Sanquhar, which sits right at the foot of it. The summit itself is fairly bare - a trig point, some rocky outcrops, the works - but the vantage point over Dumfries and Galloway's rolling valleys is excellent, especially if you've got decent weather. Winter and early spring are probably best; summer can bring the midges out in force on the lower slopes.

It's the sort of walk that works well if you're basing yourself at Sunnyside Lodges nearby. You could knock it out in a morning and spend the afternoon exploring Sanquhar proper - there's a surprising amount of local history if you dig around. Families with kids aged ten and up will manage it fine, though very young children might struggle with the steeper sections. Solo walkers often use it as a warm-up before tackling something bigger in the region.

The real appeal? It's honest terrain. No faffing about, no false summits, and you earn those views fairly. Not Instagram material, but proper Scottish hills do that to you.