South Philpstoun Bing

The walk up South Philpstoun Bing is a bit of a slog, but the payoff from the summit more than makes up for it. This former shale oil mining heap - yes, really - has transformed into something genuinely worth the effort, offering views across the Lowlands that stretch for miles on a clear day. The path gets muddy in places and there's nothing fancy about it, just honest Scottish hillwalking with a quirky industrial past.

The Bing itself is around 250 metres at its peak, which means it doesn't take hours to conquer. Most people will allow 45 minutes to an hour for the ascent and descent, depending on fitness. The views sweep across towards the Pentland Hills and out towards Edinburgh if you time it right - late afternoon light is proper lovely up here. It's the kind of place where locals come without fanfare, not somewhere that's been packaged up for tourists.

This works brilliantly as part of a wider walk across the Linlithgow area, especially if you're staying at Linwater Caravan Park just 5 miles away. Newbridge is your nearest proper town if you need supplies. The Bing suits anyone who enjoys a genuine hill walk without the pretension - walkers will appreciate the genuine terrain, families with older kids can manage it fine, though very young ones might struggle on the steeper sections. Go mid-week if you can; it's quiet enough on weekends, but weekdays feel properly peaceful.