Laighhills Public Park

The walk up Laighhills rewards you with genuine Perthshire views - moorland stretching out properly wild, nothing manicured about it. It's a nature reserve, so the point isn't manicured paths or visitor facilities; it's the land itself, left to do its thing. You get heather, birch scrub, and if you time it right, that particular quality of Scottish light that makes everything look sharper than it should.

This suits walkers far more than families with small children. The terrain's rough enough to need decent boots, and there's nothing at the top - no café, no viewing platform, just the view. Count on ninety minutes return if you're not rushed. The reserve fills a gap well between the heavier attractions around Dunblane and the gentler riverside walks elsewhere in the region.

Stay at either Craighead Howf or Witches Craig, both within four miles, and you've got a proper base for exploring this corner of things. Craighead Howf edges it on facilities and comes with five-star reviews for a reason. From here you can tackle Laighhills as a morning outing before heading to bigger draws, or make it part of a longer walking day if the weather holds.

It's free, obviously - it's a nature reserve - and there's no entrance infrastructure to speak of. Go early if you want solitude. Late afternoon light is lovely, but the path gets darker faster than you'd expect. Waterproofs aren't optional.