Whitekirk Hill

The walk up Whitekirk Hill from Dunbar takes about forty minutes, and honestly, it's the kind of climb that doesn't feel like a proper slog. You're rewarded with views across East Lothian that stretch all the way to the coast - on a clear day you can see why someone bothered to build a kirk up here in the first place. The hill itself sits at 293 metres, which means it's not a mountain by any stretch, but it's got enough elevation to feel like you've earned the vista.

What makes it work is the sense of solitude. You won't find crowds here like you might at more famous peaks. The landscape is moorland and rough grass, with patches of heather if you time it right. History types will appreciate that there's actually a kirk ruin up there - Whitekirk - which has medieval roots. It's not much to look at now, but standing beside it with the Firth of Forth visible in the distance gives the whole walk a bit more weight than a casual afternoon ramble.

Families with older kids will manage it fine; younger ones might find the final stretch tedious. Allow a solid two hours if you want to linger at the top and actually take in the views rather than just tick the box. If you're based at Belhaven Bay Caravan Park, it's a straightforward drive into Dunbar and then a short walk to the trailhead. Good shoes matter here - the ground gets boggy in patches. Free, naturally, and open year-round, though autumn and early spring tend to offer the clearest air.