Beinn Dubhain

The walk up Beinn Dubhain isn't for the faint-hearted, but that's rather the point. This 2,393-foot peak sits just inland from Dunoon, making it an accessible day trip from the Cowal Peninsula without feeling like a stroll around a manicured park. The climb is steep and boggy in places - proper hill walking, not a ramble - but the payoff is sweeping views across the Firth of Clyde and into the Arrochar Alps.

You'll need three to four hours for the round trip depending on your pace and the weather. The Scottish weather being what it is, pick a clear day or you'll be walking into clouds. Start early from Dunoon town centre and you've got the day sorted. The route itself isn't heavily marked, so map reading skills help, though plenty of folk manage it with a good guidebook.

This is proper hillwalking country, so it suits anyone with basic fell experience and decent boots. Families with young kids would struggle unless they're seasoned hikers. If you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Loch Eck or Glenfinart aren't far away - Beinn Dubhain makes for a cracking morning or afternoon depending on your energy levels. The views alone justify the effort, and the isolation compared to more famous Cowal peaks means you'll likely have it mostly to yourself. Free admission, of course. Just respect the hill and dress properly.