Little Knockbracks

The walk up Little Knockbracks takes about forty minutes from the car park near Stranraer, and it's proper worthwhile if you're after a half-decent hill with proper views. You're looking at maybe 700 feet of elevation - nothing that'll leave you gasping, but enough to feel like you've earned the effort.

What strikes you when you reach the top is how much of Dumfries & Galloway opens out. On a clear day you can see across to the Irish coast, which feels almost unreal for a Scottish lowland peak. The moorland up here is rough and windswept, sometimes boggy underfoot, so decent boots matter.

This works brilliantly if you're staying at Sands of Luce Holiday Park just down the road. It's the kind of walk that suits families with older kids - under-fives will struggle with the distance, but seven or eight upwards will manage fine if they're used to hills. Solo walkers and serious hikers pass through too, often chaining it with other peaks in the area.

There's no visitor centre or facilities up top, which is part of the charm. It's just you, the wind, and some genuinely good scenery. Allow two to three hours for the round trip if you're taking photos and sitting about at the summit. Best visited in decent weather - when cloud rolls in, the views vanish completely and it becomes a slog for slog's sake.