Ben Arthur (The Cobbler)

The distinctive peaked summit of Ben Arthur cuts through the skyline above Arrochar like a broken tooth - hence the local name, The Cobbler. At just 884 metres it's hardly a serious mountain, but the walk up feels properly alpine, especially when cloud rolls in and visibility drops to fifty metres.

You'll spend two to three hours on the round trip from the layby car park near Succoth, starting through woodland before climbing steeply onto open moorland. The final push to the summit involves some light scrambling over rough rock - nothing technical, but it keeps you honest. The payoff is genuinely worth it: on a clear day you're looking down Loch Long towards Loch Lomond, with the Arrochar Alps gathered around you like a fortress.

This walk suits confident hill walkers and families with older kids (teenagers upwards). Younger children will find the steep sections tiring and the exposed summit a bit much. Allow a full morning and bring proper boots - it gets wet and muddy fast after rain.

Perfect timing is to tackle it early in the day before weather can turn, which happens frequently in Argyll. Free to climb, of course.

If you're based at Forest Holidays Ardgartan - just twenty minutes' drive away - or Loch Lomond Holiday Park, Ben Arthur makes an excellent day out. It's serious enough to feel like proper mountaineering, but short enough that you're back for lunch. The Drimsynie site sits slightly further out but still within easy reach if you're looking to base yourself in the area for several days of walking.