Chambered Cairn

A stone pile on a hillside doesn't sound thrilling until you realise it's a genuine Neolithic burial chamber - over 5,000 years old. The Chambered Cairn near Inveraray is the real deal: a substantial mound of rocks with an internal passage leading to a burial chamber where Bronze Age folk were actually interred. Walking around it, you get a genuine sense of antiquity that no museum case can quite match.

It's brilliant for archaeology buffs and anyone who finds themselves oddly moved by ancient stones. Kids tend to find it either fascinating or dull within about fifteen minutes - depends entirely on their tolerance for standing about looking at rocks. The site is free and accessible year-round, which is the main appeal: no queuing, no entry fees, just you and thousands of years of history.

Allow half an hour if you're keen to explore properly. The walk's easy enough, though the Scottish weather can turn on you quickly, so come prepared. Spring and autumn are lovely - fewer midges, clear skies more often than not.

It works perfectly as a short stop during a park holiday. Fyne Glamping sits just down the road at half a mile away, while Strathlachlan Caravan Park is barely two miles off. Both give you easy access to this stretch of Argyll without making it your entire day. Pair it with a walk around Inveraray itself or head towards Loch Fyne if you want something with more dramatic scenery attached.