Startup Hill

The walk up Startup Hill takes you above Biggar with proper commanding views across the Lowlands. It's not a particularly dramatic peak - we're talking around 570 metres - but the approach is straightforward and rewards you with the sort of vista that makes you understand why people bothered to settle in this part of South Lanarkshire in the first place.

The hill itself is moorland, open and windswept, with the kind of 360-degree outlook that stretches across farmland and forestry blocks towards the Southern Uplands. On a clear day you can make sense of the geography here; on a grey one, it's moody and atmospheric. The walk from Biggar takes maybe 90 minutes at a steady pace, depending which route you take.

This works well for walkers after something achievable without being trivial - fit families will manage it fine, though younger kids might find the moorland slog a bit featureless. It's genuinely free and you can do it any time. The exposure isn't serious, though you'd want decent boots after wet weather.

If you're based at Mount View Caravan Park just outside town, Startup Hill makes a solid half-day expedition that doesn't require driving anywhere. Pair it with a wander around Biggar's High Street afterwards - the town has more character than you'd expect. Worth the walk up.