Craig of Todholes

The walk up Craig of Todholes isn't a famous pilgrimage, but that's rather the point. This modest peak sits just outside Lochwinnoch in Renfrewshire, offering something properly satisfying without the crowds you'd find elsewhere in the Lowlands.

It's a straightforward hill walk that takes the best part of an hour to bag - nothing technical, nothing that requires proper mountaineering kit. The views from the top sweep across the moorland towards Loch Lomond on a clear day, and the surrounding landscape feels wilder than you'd expect this close to civilisation.

Walkers will get the most from it. Families with older kids who don't mind a proper tramp over open ground will enjoy it too, though the younger ones might find an hour of steady climbing a bit much. The terrain is rough heather and grass underfoot, which can be boggy after rain, so decent boots matter.

There's no visitor centre or facilities at the summit - just you and the view. That's exactly as it should be. The walk itself is the attraction, not some manicured experience with a café at the top.

If you're basing yourself near The Pods at Auchenhean, Craig of Todholes makes a proper morning out. It's close enough not to waste half your day driving, but far enough removed from the main tourist drags that you'll have the hillside largely to yourself. Head up early in the day, well before the light starts fading. Allow two hours return if you're not a seasoned hill-walker.