Cnoc Buidhe

The walk up Cnoc Buidhe from near Tarbert is short but steep - you're looking at maybe 45 minutes from the road to the summit if you're moving at a decent pace. The effort pays off, though. From the top you get proper views across the Kintyre peninsula and out towards the islands, which on a clear day is absolutely worth the legwork.

It's the kind of peak that suits walkers after a quick hit rather than a full day on the hills. Families with kids aged 10 and up will manage it fine; younger ones might find the gradient a bit relentless. There's nothing technical about it - just a slog up exposed moorland - so boots and waterproofs are more important than climbing skill.

The real draw is how accessible it is. You're barely half an hour from Tarbert, which means it works brilliantly as a morning walk if you're staying at Tarbert Holiday Park or The Gather just up the road. Both parks have the kind of facilities that make sense for a proper break, and dropping this walk in between beach days or exploring the villages nearby gives you a proper sense of the landscape without eating into your whole afternoon.

Go when the weather's settled - the exposed position means it can turn nasty quickly, and on a grey day the views disappear entirely. Autumn tends to be cleanest for visibility, though anytime outside winter will do the job.