Ben Cleuch

The walk up Ben Cleuch takes about two hours from the car park near Clackmannan, and on a clear day you'll see right across the Forth Valley toward Edinburgh. It's not a dramatic peak - the Ochil Hills don't do drama - but there's something satisfying about the steady climb through moorland and rough grass, especially when you're based nearby at Witches Craig.

What you're actually doing is a proper hill walk, not a scramble. The path is clear enough, though it gets boggy in wet weather. Once you've crested the summit at 721 metres, the reward is genuinely good views over Stirling and out toward the Southern Uplands. On poor visibility days though, you're just plodding through cloud, so timing matters.

This suits walkers far more than casual strollers. You'll need proper boots, and at least half a day if you're starting from Clackmannan. Families with older kids will manage it fine; younger ones will struggle with the distances and the terrain underfoot.

There's nothing at the summit itself - no shelter, no café, just the trig point and your own packed lunch. Which is rather the point. If you're staying at Witches Craig for a park holiday, Ben Cleuch works as a proper expedition day, breaking up the caravan site routine. The walk is free, obviously. Go mid-week if you want the hills to yourself.