Little White Hill

Little White Hill sits just outside Stirling, offering one of those walks that takes you completely out of the lowlands mood without feeling like you've travelled far. It's not a gruelling climb - you're looking at maybe 45 minutes up from the car park if you're not dawdling - but the views across towards the Campsies and back towards Loch Lomond make the leg work worthwhile.

The summit itself is modest, nothing dramatic, but that's rather the point. You get proper panoramic stuff without the crowds you'd find on Ben Lomond. Clear days reward you with sight lines towards Glasgow and beyond. Walkers will find this genuinely satisfying - there's enough elevation to feel like you've earned something, but it won't destroy your knees.

Families with reasonably fit kids aged eight upwards will manage fine, though younger ones might need carrying for bits. The path itself is straightforward, though it can get boggy after rain, so decent boots matter. Allow two to three hours if you're not rushing and want time at the top.

It works brilliantly as a half-day outing if you're based around Loch Lomond - Loch Lomond Retreat and Lomond Woods Holiday Park are only four miles away. You could knock this out before lunch and still have the afternoon free for the lochs themselves. Best visited outside peak season weekends when the car park isn't rammed.