Stob an Fhainne

The ridge walk up Stob an Fhainne is one of those Scottish climbs that rewards you properly if you put in the graft. Starting from Arrochar, you're looking at a fairly relentless ascent through bracken and scree to reach just over 900 metres, but once you're up there the views across Loch Long and towards Ben Vorlich make it genuinely worthwhile.

This isn't a casual stroll. The terrain is rough underfoot in places and the weather can turn nasty fast, even when it looks fine from the car park. That said, it's considerably less crowded than Ben Lomond and the walk takes roughly four to five hours depending on your pace and how long you linger at the summit. You'll want proper boots and a decent map - there's no visitor infrastructure up there whatsoever.

Walkers and hill enthusiasts will get far more out of this than families with young children, though a fit teenager keen on mountains might manage it. The views justify the effort, but it's not a "nice walk with a view at the end" situation - you're committing to a proper hill day.

If you're based at Loch Lomond Holiday Park, you're only 2.7 miles away, making this a solid half-day expedition without much travelling. Beinglas Campsite, slightly further out at 5.3 miles, works well too if you want to tackle this alongside other Arrochar peaks. Go early, check the forecast and take water. The ridge itself can be surprisingly exposed when the cloud rolls in.