Brown Hill

The walk up Brown Hill rewards you with proper panoramic views across Stirling and beyond - nothing fancy, just honest Scottish landscape. It's a straightforward climb from the Stirling side, taking the better part of an hour if you're not rushing, and the summit gives you Loch Lomond spread out to the west and the Trossachs rippling off to the north. On a clear day you can see well past Glasgow.

This is walker territory, frankly. Kids might manage it if they're the outdoor type, but there's no café at the top or anything - just the view and the wind. The path itself is well-trodden and not technical, though it gets boggy in patches after rain. Locals use it as a proper training route rather than a sightseeing destination, which tells you something about the appeal.

The beauty of Brown Hill is that it sits handily between Glasgow and the Loch Lomond holiday parks scattered nearby - places like Loch Lomond Retreat and Lomond Woods are only five miles or so away. Pair it with a few nights at one of those bases and you've got a proper Scottish walking trip without the Highlands crowds. Go early morning if you can, when the light's soft and the midges are calmer. Free to access, naturally. Allow two hours all in if you want to sit up top with a flask and actually absorb where you are.