Stob Liath

The walk up Stob Liath from Cairndow is straightforward enough - a proper hill rather than a serious mountain - but the view across the Cowal Peninsula makes it worth the effort. You're looking at Ben Ime and the rest of the Arrochar Alps from above, which is the sort of perspective that reminds you why Scottish hills are worth getting out of bed for.

The ascent takes somewhere between two and three hours depending on your pace and fitness. The path is reasonably well-trodden and the terrain mixes grass, scree, and rock without being technical. On a clear day - and you'll need to pick your moment here - you get views down into Loch Goil and across to Dunoon. On a grey one, you're above the clouds, which is its own kind of brilliant.

This is solidly walker territory. Families with older kids who are up for a few hours on the hill will find it manageable. It's not a wander-round-a-visitor-centre sort of place; you need your boots and some stamina. Allow most of a morning or afternoon.

Staying nearby at Drimsynie Holiday Village or Forest Holidays Ardgartan Argyll puts you perfectly positioned for this and similar walks in the area. Cairndow itself is tiny - basically the starting point - but it's well-placed for exploring the Argyll hills properly. The walk doesn't cost anything, and there are no facilities on the hill itself, so bring water and something to eat.