Beinn Lochain

The walk up Beinn Lochain from Arrochar is one of those Scottish hill outings that rewards you without demanding a full day's commitment. It's a proper peak - 901 metres of it - and sits right on the edge of the Cowal Peninsula, which means the views back towards Loch Long and the surrounding hills are genuinely excellent.

You'll find the starting point easily enough near Arrochar village, and the path itself is well-trodden and straightforward. Expect around two hours up and ninety minutes back, though that depends entirely on your fitness and how often you stop to catch your breath. The terrain is grassy in places, rocky in others, and there's nothing technical about it - this is a hill for anyone who wants proper Highlands scenery without needing scrambling experience.

Walkers will absolutely get the most from this one. On a clear day the visibility stretches for miles, and if you've got kids aged ten upwards who don't mind a steady climb, they'll find it manageable and satisfying. Don't expect solitude in peak summer, but it's far less busy than Ben Lomond further south.

If you're basing yourself at one of the nearby holiday parks - Inverbeg Holiday Park is exceptionally close at 3.7 miles - this makes a cracking half-day outing. Forest Holidays Ardgartan, about four miles away, is equally convenient. You'll want dry weather for the best experience; on a grey, wet day it becomes considerably less appealing. Free to climb, and no facilities at the summit beyond the views themselves.