Laganderry Hill

The walk up Laganderry Hill rewards you with proper views across the Rhinns of Galloway - that distinctive finger of land poking into the Irish Sea west of Stranraer. It's not a massive climb, but it's steep enough to get your blood moving, and on a clear day you're looking out towards the Mull of Galloway and across the water towards Ireland. The summit itself is straightforward moorland with decent shelter from a small cairn, which matters when the wind picks up off the coast.

This is walker territory, genuinely. Families with young legs will manage it fine, but it's not the sort of attraction that holds toddlers' attention once they reach the top - there's no café, no visitor centre, just you, the wind and the views. Allow a solid hour and a half for the round trip unless you're particularly leisurely. The best time to go is either early morning before the weather turns, or late afternoon when the light hits the water properly.

If you're based at Sands of Luce Holiday Park just a few miles south, Laganderry slots in nicely as a half-day outing. The Rhinns themselves are quiet, windswept country - nothing like the busier coastal spots further east - and that's rather the point. You come here for the walk and the solitude, not for ice cream and gift shops. Fair weather needed though; on a grey day with low cloud, you'll see precisely nothing worth the effort.