Tom an Uile

Tom an Uile sits above Tarbert as a proper proper hillwalker's objective rather than a casual Sunday stroll. The summit at 881 metres rewards you with views across Loch Fyne and down the Kintyre Peninsula - on a clear day it's worth the climb, though I've been caught out by cloud creeping in faster than expected. The walk itself takes roughly two to three hours return depending on fitness and which route you take from the village. There's no marked path in the traditional sense, so you need a map and decent navigation skills, ideally a GPS app loaded before you head up. Start early because afternoon weather can turn quickly in this part of Argyll.

Walkers with experience will find this manageable and rewarding. It's not technical scrambling, just relentless gradient and bog in places. Families with younger kids might struggle unless they're hill-trained already. The real appeal is the isolation - you won't be fighting crowds here like you would on Ben Lomond. Free to walk, naturally, and the village of Tarbert itself is only a few miles away for supplies or a post-walk pint.

If you're staying at The Gather holiday park nearby, this makes a cracking half or full day out that doesn't require driving somewhere else. The raw landscape and genuine remoteness are what you're paying for here, not manicured trails or facilities. Go in decent weather and bring proper kit.