Slatehouse Hill

The walk up Slatehouse Hill rewards you with one of those views that makes the Scottish Lowlands actually feel wild. It's not a brutal climb - around 400 metres of ascent - but it's proper steep in places and the ground can be boggy depending on when you go. From the top you get sight lines across to the Nithsdale valley and back towards Dumfries, which sits maybe five miles south. On a clear day it's genuinely worth the effort.

This is walker territory, no question. Families with younger kids might find it a bit of a slog without much to do once you arrive - there's no café, no interpretive signs, just you and the view. Older children who don't mind a leg-stretching ramble will get on fine with it. The hill itself is unremarkable really, which sounds harsh but it's true - the appeal is the walk and what you see from the top, not the destination.

You'll need proper walking boots because of the bog. Allow a couple of hours return trip depending on fitness. Spring through to early autumn is your best bet; winter can be bleak and muddy. There's no entrance fee or facilities to speak of.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Red Squirrel Campsite or Penpont Holiday Park are both solid options within five miles - Slatehouse Hill makes a decent half-day excursion. Couple it with a walk around Dumfries itself and you've got a proper day sorted. It's not the Cairngorms, but it does what it says on the tin.