Lairds Plantation

The walk through Laird's Plantation near Biggar takes you into proper Scottish woodland - the kind of place where the path narrows and the trees close in properly, blocking out most of the sky. It's not huge, but that's rather the point. You get the sense of being somewhere genuine rather than somewhere designed for maximum footfall.

The forest floor is thick with moss and fallen branches, and in autumn it becomes a carpet of copper needles. The main draw is simply the walk itself - there are trails through the trees with views over the Lowlands opening up at various points. On a clear day you can see across to the Southern Uplands. It's the sort of place that rewards a slow pace and actually paying attention to what's around you rather than ticking off Instagram shots.

Family groups with young kids will find it manageable enough for an hour or so, though there's not much in the way of facilities or interpretation boards to keep them engaged beyond the actual woodland. Serious walkers might use it as part of a longer route rather than a destination in itself. The forest works better as an addition to a Biggar-based holiday than as a reason to plan one.

If you're staying at Mount View Caravan Park just five miles away, you could easily spend a couple of hours here without it feeling like a major expedition. Bring proper walking boots - it gets muddy - and go early in the day before the light starts fading through the trees.