Swanstead Hill

The walk up Swanstead Hill rewards you with proper views across the Scottish Borders - the kind that make you understand why people spend weekends up here instead of indoors. It's not a technical scramble, more a steady plod through moorland that takes the best part of an hour from the Hawick side, and you'll pass sheep who genuinely couldn't care less about your presence.

On a clear day, the vista stretches for miles. You get the Borders rolling out in every direction, soft and green, with the Cheviot Hills doing their bit on the horizon. It's the sort of walk that justifies its own effort - not one where you arrive at the top thinking you've hiked an hour for a view you could've guessed from a postcard.

Walkers will find this straightforward enough, though it's genuinely boggy after rain so proper boots matter. The drive from Hawick takes barely twenty minutes, which makes it feasible as a morning outing before heading to Stouslie Snugs for lunch. That luxury farm glamping spot sits well within striking distance, and they'd probably appreciate you arriving with an appetite after a hill day.

Families with teenagers will get something out of this. Younger kids might find the moorland a bit relentless without a trig point at the top to make it feel official. Allow two to three hours all in, depending on pace and how long you faff about at the summit taking photos. No facilities up there, so bring water.