Garabal Hill

The walk up Garabal Hill takes you through proper Highland terrain, steep enough to earn your view but short enough that you're not committed to an all-day slog. Starting from Arrochar, the path climbs through rough grassland and heather with the Arrochar Alps rising up around you - it's the kind of place where the landscape shifts depending on which way you turn your head.

At 871 metres, it's not high by Scottish standards, but the summit rewards you with sight lines down Loch Long and across to Ben Arthur, which dominates the skyline to the south. The peak itself is exposed and windswept - bring a proper jacket even if the weather looks settled in Arrochar.

Walkers of moderate fitness will manage this in two to three hours return, depending on pace and how long you linger at the top. It's not a scramble, though the terrain is rough underfoot in places. Families with older kids who've done a few hills will find it manageable; younger ones might struggle with the gradient.

The real value is that it sits perfectly between Beinglas Campsite just down the road and Loch Lomond Holiday Park a few miles away. If you're based at either for a week, this makes a solid half-day venture that doesn't require driving elsewhere. It's exposed enough that summer midges won't bother you, and the views justify the effort. Don't expect solitude on a decent weekend, but it rarely feels rammed either.