Meall Mòr

The walk up Meall Mòr isn't long, but it's steep enough to make you feel like you've properly earned the view at the top. From Lochearnhead, you're looking at a couple of hours round trip to bag this 901-metre peak, with the climb getting increasingly relentless as you gain height through the heather.

What makes it worth the effort is the panorama once you're up there. You get Loch Earn laid out below in that particular way only Scottish lochs can manage - somehow making the water look both vast and intimate at once. On a clear day, the Perthshire hills stretch out properly, and you can see why walkers keep coming back to this corner of Stirling.

It's a solid choice for walkers who don't fancy a full-day commitment but want more than a stroll. Families with older kids will manage it fine; younger ones might find the gradient a bit relentless. The terrain is straightforward rather than technical, so you don't need anything fancy - just decent boots and the kind of weather sense that doesn't ignore dark clouds gathering overhead.

If you're staying at Balquhidder Braes Holiday Park, barely three miles away, this is a no-brainer for a morning or afternoon out. It leaves you plenty of time to explore the loch itself afterwards, or head back for a proper rest. Spring and early summer are lovely for it - that's when the hills stop looking quite so wet and miserable.