Standard

Standard is a proper fell, rising 1,898 feet above the Galloway Forest, and it's one of those peaks that rewards you without requiring fell-walker credentials. The walk up from Newton Stewart takes you through working forest and opens onto moorland that feels genuinely remote despite being just inland from the Solway coast. On a clear day the views sweep across into England and down towards the Mull of Galloway - on a grey one, frankly, you're just climbing into cloud and taking it on trust.

The peak itself is unremarkable - a cairn and compass marker, nothing fancy. But that's rather the point. This is fell-walking for adults who want a solid two hours out and back without drama, or families with older kids keen to bag a Marilyn without the Alpine theatricals. The forest paths are well-trodden and the ascent consistent rather than brutal.

Timing wise, allow three to four hours round trip depending on fitness and how often you stop for breath (and there will be moments). It's free to walk, naturally. Early autumn is lovely before the midges get serious. Winter can be boggy and grim.

If you're staying at Galloway Forest Holiday Park nearby, Standard slots nicely into a day combining the walk with a poke around Newton Stewart itself or a longer loop taking in more of the forest. It's not a showstopper on its own, but it's exactly the kind of walk that justifies a week in this part of Dumfries and Galloway.