Puck's Glen

The walk into Puck's Glen, just outside Dunoon, takes you through proper woodland - the kind where you half-expect to stumble across something from a fairy tale. A burn runs through the reserve, creating a series of small waterfalls that cascade over moss-covered rocks, and the whole place has that damp, green smell of old Scottish forest. You're following a well-trodden path uphill, past Douglas firs and ancient oaks, for about 45 minutes to reach the glen itself. The falls aren't dramatic - this isn't Niagara - but they're undeniably lovely, and there's something satisfying about the scale of it all. Kids usually manage the walk fine, though it does get steeper towards the end, and the path can be muddy even days after rain. The reserve is free to access, which is a bonus. Allow two hours if you're moving at a leisurely pace and want to sit by the water for a bit. It's the sort of place that justifies a week based at one of the nearby caravan parks - The Secret Glen Campsite is practically on the doorstep, while Loch Eck Caravan Park and Hunters Quay Holiday Village offer more facilities if you need them. Visit in autumn when the light filters through the trees, or late spring when everything's dripping green. Summer weekends bring crowds, which is a shame because the glen deserves a bit of peace. Walkers will get the most out of it; it's less about views and more about the walk itself.