Thornton Hill

The walk up Thornton Hill takes about twenty minutes from the car park near Dunbar, and on a clear day you're rewarded with proper expansive views across East Lothian and out towards the coast. It's not particularly high or dramatic - more of a bracing local favourite than a destination summit - but that's rather the point. The hill itself is straightforward moorland with a well-trodden path, and the approach from Dunbar means you can squeeze it in without a massive time commitment.

Families with school-age kids will find it manageable, though very young children might struggle with the pace. It's the kind of walk where you feel like you've done something without having knackered yourself out. On weekends it gets busy with locals, which tells you everything about how reliable the weather is and the quality of the views.

If you're staying at Belhaven Bay Caravan Park just down the road, this makes a cracking morning outing before breakfast or an evening stroll to shake out the legs after a day on site. The return journey is straightforward - no scrambling or exposure to worry about. Free, naturally, and accessible year-round, though winter winds can be fierce up there. Allow an hour if you're taking photographs or sitting about at the top. The real appeal is how uncomplicated it all is: a local hill that does exactly what it says on the tin.