Kames Hill

The walk up Kames Hill from Dunoon is proper straightforward - nothing that'll have you scrambling or needing ropes, but the views across the Firth of Clyde make it well worth the leg work. On a clear day you're looking at Bute and the Cowal Peninsula spreading out below you, and if you're lucky the mainland beyond. The summit's not vast - you won't spend hours up there - but it's the sort of place where twenty minutes of standing around with a flask feels right.

Families with kids who've got some hill experience will manage it without fuss. It's not a trudge, and there's a real sense of achievement when you top out. History buffs might appreciate that you're walking country with actual bones to it - Dunoon itself has Cowal Castle just nearby, so you can stack this with other stuff. Solo walkers and couples after a proper afternoon will get the most from it though.

Allow yourself two to three hours return, depending on fitness and how often you stop to look around. Start early if you want to avoid the afternoon cloud that often rolls in off the water. It's free - park down in Dunoon and just go.

If you're staying at Beach House Pods nearby, you've got a cracking little break sorted. The pods are only five miles out, so you can knock this off before lunch and still have the afternoon free for the coastal paths or poking around Dunoon's actual town.