Peaty Hill

The walk up Peaty Hill is short, sharp, and proper rewarding. You're looking at maybe forty minutes to the summit from Dumfries, which makes it ideal for an afternoon sortie if you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Brandedleys or Auchenfranco are practically on your doorstep, barely two miles out. The hill itself isn't steep enough to be brutal, but it's steep enough to keep things interesting. Views across the Lowlands open up as you climb, and on a clear day you'll see why people bothered building settlements down here centuries ago.

This is walkers' territory, really. Not kids with pushchairs - the ground's uneven and there's no path to speak of. But anyone with legs and a bit of determination will manage it fine. The summit's modest, nothing dramatic, but that's part of the appeal. You're not queuing with coach parties or fighting for a spot on Instagram. It's quiet, which means you actually notice the landscape.

Free to access, naturally - Scottish hills don't charge admission. Allow a couple of hours return if you're not moving fast, and go when the light's decent because the views are what you're paying for. Early autumn's cracking if you catch a dry spell. If you're mixing this with a longer Dumfries and Galloway trip, it's a straightforward detour. Marthrown of Mabie is further out but worth knowing about if you're staying longer in the region.