Wallacehall Hill

The walk up Wallacehall Hill takes maybe forty minutes from the car park, and the effort is repaid with views that stretch right across Dumfries and Galloway. It's not a dramatic peak - nothing like the Highlands - but that's rather the point. The Scottish Lowlands reveal themselves gently from up here: rolling farmland, patches of woodland, and on a clear day, the Solway Firth glinting in the distance.

Walkers will find this one straightforward and rewarding without being a slog. The path is well-trodden and not steep enough to exhaust anyone reasonably fit. Families with older children do fine here; younger ones might lose interest once the trees thin out unless you're good at pointing out sheep and clouds.

Dumfries sits just five miles away, making this an easy escape if you're based in town, but it works brilliantly as part of a wider walking holiday too. The holiday parks scattered round - Red Squirrel Campsite and The Outdoor Hotel are both well-rated and close by - make it simple to string together a few hill walks across the region without moving camp. Penpont Holiday Park is another solid option just four miles off.

Go early if possible. The hill draws enough visitors that solitude isn't guaranteed on summer weekends, but morning light on the view is worth timing for. Bring proper boots rather than trainers - the ground gets boggy in places, especially after rain. Free to visit, naturally, and no facilities at the summit itself so pack what you need.