Thornie Hill

The walk up Thornie Hill is straightforward and properly rewarding. From Castle Douglas it's no more than a few miles, and once you're at the summit you get proper views across Dumfries and Galloway - the sort of thing that reminds you why you came to the Lowlands in the first place rather than staying down south.

It's not a massive undertaking. You're looking at maybe an hour or so depending on fitness and how often you stop for photos. The peak itself sits 461 metres up, which means you'll feel like you've earned your lunch without needing fell-walking boots or a survival kit.

Walkers will get the most out of this. Families with younger kids might find it a bit of a slog if the little ones aren't keen on steady climbs, though it's not technical or dangerous. History buffs won't find much up there except the view - there's no ancient fort or stone circle, just good open country and sight lines that stretch for miles.

If you're basing yourself at Loch Ken Holiday Park, Thornie Hill makes a solid half-day jaunt. The walk clears your head and the vantage point gives you a proper sense of where everything else sits in the region. Go on a clear day - cloud cover makes it a bit pointless, to be honest. Free to walk, naturally. Go early if you can, before other walkers turn the path into a mud slide.