Tormain

The walk up Tormain is a proper straightforward hill rather than a serious peak, which makes it ideal if you're based at Linwater Caravan Park near Newbridge and fancy an afternoon on your feet without committing to hours of scrambling. From the summit you get clear views across the Lowlands - nothing jaw-dropping, but on a decent day it's the sort of honest, uncomplicated landscape that reminds you why people chose to settle here centuries ago.

The ascent takes maybe forty minutes if you're moving at a normal pace, and the paths are well-trodden enough that you won't get lost. It's the kind of walk that works brilliantly for families with older kids or anyone after some gentle exercise without drama. Younger children might find it a bit of a slog, if only because the reward at the top is views rather than a café or play area.

Go in decent weather - mist will rob you of the whole point of being up there. Early morning is best if you can manage it; the light's better and you'll have the hill mostly to yourself. There's no visitor centre, no tearoom, no entry fee. Just you, the hill, and whatever the Scottish weather decides to throw at you. Allow a couple of hours including time to sit and take it in. It slots nicely into a park-based weekend where you want something to do without driving miles.