Whiteside Hill

The walk up Whiteside Hill from Biggar is proper straightforward - nothing fancy, just solid Lowlands walking. You're looking at a grass-covered peak that sits around 650 metres, which doesn't sound like much until you're halfway up and realising the incline is steeper than expected. Takes about an hour to the summit if you've got reasonable legs, maybe ninety minutes with kids in tow.

The real appeal is the view back down towards Biggar and across the surrounding moorland. It's not dramatic - no sharp ridges or sudden drops - but there's something satisfying about how the landscape rolls away in all directions. On a clear day you can see proper distance. Weather matters here though. Come up in cloud and you'll feel a bit short-changed.

This works well for families staying at Mount View Caravan Park, just a few miles away. It's the sort of walk that keeps eight to twelve-year-olds engaged without becoming a full-day epic. Dogs handle it fine. The terrain is fairly uniform so there's no scrambling or tricky bits.

Free to access, naturally - it's open country. Allow three hours total if you're dawdling or stopping for photos. Don't bother in heavy rain as it gets boggy. Early autumn is good - clearer skies and the midges have packed it in. It's a no-fuss hill walk that does the job without pretension.