Dunoon

The West Highland Line railway ends here, but Dunoon's story begins where the train tracks finish. This Victorian seaside town wraps around Holy Loch on the Cowal Peninsula, facing across to Gourock with the kind of views that make you understand why the Clyde was once Britain's premier holiday coast.

Proper seafront promenading still happens along the esplanade, past the Castle House Museum Dunoon where local history gets the full treatment. The town's got character - not the polished kind you find in tourist brochures, but the lived-in feel of somewhere that's weathered decades of changing fortunes. Ardnadam Pier juts into the loch, while St Columba's Church and Kilmun Parish Church anchor the spiritual side of things.

Golf enthusiasts are well sorted here. Cowal Golf Club offers decent fairways with loch views, while Blairmore and Strone Golf Club provides a different challenge entirely. Both courses make the most of the dramatic Highland backdrop.

Venture beyond town and you'll find Camas Rainach forest perfect for proper walks, plus the atmospheric Ardnadam chapel ruins for those who like their history served with a side of mystery. Bishop's Glen Reservoir and Loch Loskin provide peaceful spots away from any crowds.

Getting here means either the scenic ferry crossing from Gourock or a drive around Loch Eck - both routes have their charms. Glasgow's barely 90 minutes away on a good day. Staying at one of the nearby parks like Hunters Quay Holiday Village or The Secret Glen Campsite puts you right in the thick of things, with easy access to both Dunoon's amenities and the wider Cowal Peninsula's wild landscapes.