Princess Louise Hall

The Princess Louise Hall sits on the outskirts of Helensburgh, a proper working sports venue that doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't. It's a community hub - the kind of place where local badminton clubs compete on weeknights and weekend tournaments draw players from across Argyll. The hall itself is functional rather than fancy, with courts that see genuine action year-round.

This isn't a tourist attraction in the conventional sense. What you get here depends entirely on timing. Turn up during a match or coaching session and you'll see proper sport being played; arrive on a quiet afternoon and it's just a building. The appeal lies in watching locals do what they do, or if you're a badminton player yourself, potentially joining in the action.

Families staying at Rosneath Castle Caravan Park just up the road might find this useful rather than unmissable - a rainy-day option if junior plays badminton, say. It's close enough to Hunters Quay Holiday Village and Glenfinart Caravan Park to be worth asking about when you arrive, but I wouldn't plan a trip around it.

The real draw in this area isn't the hall itself but everything around it: the Firth of Clyde views, the coastal walks, the proximity to better-known attractions. Use the hall as a backup plan rather than a destination. Head into Helensburgh for actual family activities, or stick to the parks' own facilities if you're after organised entertainment.