Little Ganavan Beach

The walk down to Little Ganavan Beach takes about ten minutes from the car park just outside Oban, and it's genuinely one of the nicest coastal stretches around here - proper little cove with dark sand and a decent strip of shingle. You get decent views across to Kerrera and the islands beyond, and on a clear day it's the kind of spot that makes you remember why you came to Argyll in the first place.

It's a family-friendly beach without feeling overdone. The water's cold - this is the west coast - but shallow enough for paddling if you're brave. There's a wee bit of shelter from the surrounding banks, which helps when the wind's up. The beach itself is free to access, naturally, and you can spend anything from half an hour to a couple of hours here depending on whether you're just stretching your legs or settling in with a packed lunch.

The real appeal is how close it is to Oban without feeling touristy. Walk it at low tide and you get more sand to explore. Families with young kids will find it manageable, and it works well as a break between other activities - Oban itself has enough going on that you won't feel you've wasted a day if the weather's dodgy. If you're staying at one of the nearby parks like Oban Holiday Park or Tanunda Pods, this is an easy morning outing before heading into town. Bring waterproofs though. This is Scotland.