Penny Hill

The walk up Penny Hill takes about forty minutes from Newton Stewart, and it's genuinely one of those straightforward climbs that rewards you disproportionately. You're looking at roughly 370 metres of height gain, which sounds modest until you're halfway up and your legs remind you they exist.

The summit itself is the real draw. On a clear day - and you need to pick your weather carefully here - you can see right across the Galloway hills and down towards the coast. It's proper open moorland, the kind of place where you actually feel the landscape rather than just look at it. The path is well-defined and doesn't require any scrambling or technical nonsense, which means families with decent walkers will manage it without drama. Young kids might find the final section a bit of a slog, but nothing impossible.

There's a cairn at the top that's been rebuilt more times than you can count by the looks of it. The wind can be absolutely relentless, so bring layers even if it's warm in the valley.

If you're based at Drumroamin Farm nearby, this works as a proper half-day outing. The drive from Newton Stewart takes minutes, so there's no messing about. Go early to avoid the afternoon cloud that tends to roll in. There's nowhere to buy food up there, so pack something decent. The whole thing - walk, summit time, descent - you're looking at two and a half hours if you're not rushing.