Cruach Narrachan

The walk up Cruach Narrachan takes you out of Taynuilt and into proper hill country - nothing too technical, but steep enough in places to earn your lunch. You're climbing roughly 600 metres over moorland and rough grassland with the Arrivain Burn running below you for much of the route. On a clear day, the views sweep across to Ben Cruachan and right down Loch Awe, which justifies the slog more than anything else could.

This isn't a peak for people wanting a gentle stroll. The track gets boggy after rain, the final push is relentless, and there's no shelter to speak of. But if you've got the legs for it and the weather's playing ball, you'll have the hill almost to yourself. The actual summit is anticlimactic - just a cairn and moorland in all directions - but the journey is what matters here.

Allow a good three hours minimum for the round trip if you're reasonably fit. Start early and take map and waterproofs. It's free, obviously, being a Scottish hill. The Loch Awe Camping Pods just a few miles away make a natural base for a few days of hill walking in Argyll - Cruach Narrachan pairs well with Ben Lui or a walk around the loch itself if you want variety. Not one for children under about ten or walkers who prefer established paths, but serious outdoor types will find it properly rewarding.