Balcnock

The walk up Balcnock rewards you with proper Highland views without the crowds you'd face on Ben Lomond. It's a relatively modest peak - nothing that demands technical skill or hours of preparation - but the vantage point over the Firth of Clyde and down towards Helensburgh justifies the effort. On a clear day you can see right across to Arran.

This is the sort of hill that appeals to walkers after something achievable in an afternoon. The route isn't marked with the usual signposts, so you'll want to know what you're doing navigationally, but it's straightforward enough if you're comfortable with a map. Allow two to three hours return depending on pace and how long you linger at the top.

Families with older children will manage it fine; younger ones might find the gradient a bit relentless. Serious hillwalkers often tag it as part of a longer traverse of the area rather than a standalone mission.

If you're staying at Inverbeg Holiday Park or Rosneath Castle Caravan Park - both excellent spots on the peninsula - Balcnock works well as a half-day objective. It sits close enough that you won't waste daylight driving, but far enough that you're not scrambling up the backyard path. Best visited in drier months when the ground underfoot isn't a bog. The real magic happens in late afternoon light when the water catches the sun.