Meall Daraich

The walk up Meall Daraich from Dunoon is straightforward enough, but the payoff makes it worth lacing your boots. You're looking at a decent hill rather than a serious mountain - it won't take all day, which matters if you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks and fancy something outdoorsy without committing to a full expedition.

The views back towards the Cowal Peninsula and Loch Eck are proper lovely, especially on a clear day when you can pick out the islands in the distance. It's the sort of walk that rewards you immediately - no slogging uphill for hours only to find the good stuff at the summit. Families with older kids will find it manageable, though younger ones might grumble on the steeper sections. Walkers wanting something less taxing than the big peaks to the north will appreciate the relative brevity here.

You'll want to allow a couple of hours return, depending on fitness and how long you linger at the top taking in the landscape. The path itself is well-trodden and reasonably maintained, which is useful when the Scottish weather turns unpredictable - and it will. Start early if you're doing this from Glenfinart Caravan Park or Drimsynie Holiday Village, as the light goes quickly once autumn sets in.

It's not the most dramatic hill in Argyll, but it's a solid morning out that justifies why people keep coming back to this corner of Cowal. Bit steep for the last push, but nothing that should put anyone off.