This lovely big area of parkland adjacent to Larkfield Road in Gourock used to be called 'Darroch…read morePark', but was renamed by the council some years ago. The lower slopes are great for walking amongst the trees and neat flower beds. The park staff seem to keep everything looking lovely and I enjoyed a stroll there a week or two ago. The Gourock Burn flows down the west side of the park and there is a 'Swan Pond' as well. Further up, there's a bowling green and tennis courts. There are marvellous views to be had across the Clyde from the top!

Great wee (actually quite big) walk surrounded by wonderful woodland and a fast flowing…read moreriver/waterfall. There's a great history to this place as well - worth stopping to read the various signposts. And those benches in the car park... MADNESS!

The things I love about this place is that if you take the anti-clockwise route, the waterfalls are…read morehidden and are a lovely surprise when going downhill. When the light is right, it hits the falls and looks beautiful. The return walk is approx 1hr, with some steep hills and slippy surfaces. Car parking is free I think, but if not, you can always park for free in the town itself and it is only a 5 minute walk to the start of the Birks. A gem and a must go!

A hidden gem which your Julia Donaldson loving little ones will love to visit!…read moreWe call this Gruffalo Wood because of the Gruffalo-themed carvings dotted near the entrance of the Loch. The Loch itself is fairly small, taking only 15-20 mins to walk around. There is lots of nature and wildlife to explore here from toadstools to frogs to wild raspberries to dragonflies... We met a particularly large, and bold, swan today whilst feeding the ducks! On our last visit we stumbled across hundreds and hundreds of baby frogs migrating across the pathway to the Loch. This has become a regular location for us to visit with our little Julia Donaldson fan. There is a play park at the far end of the Loch from the little car park off Kilmardinny Avenue and if you need something to eat or liquid refreshments after your walk there is a recently opened Waitrose with a lovely cafe minutes away by car or foot!

We visited here after discovering Gruffalo Wood through Ali's review :)…read more My friend was visiting with her 6 and 3yr old girls and we took A in his pram. We really enjoyed walking round the loch in the sunshine, the path is pretty easy going for littles and the pram alike, and there are a few places to stop along the way and see the ducks or discover the awesome carvings. We couldn't find the play park, perhaps a little sign would help, but we asked someone and soon found the little path leading up to it. There were some different play areas to explore including an awesome rope swing that the adults enjoyed too! We had a great, free day out and it worked well to tire out the kids. Would highly recommend.

Very clean on the edge of The Meadows. There are swings, slide, and climbing structure. Lots of…read moreparents and young children. Did not see any snack counters.

Ok, so I'm obviously not a five-year old child anymore. (I can type and spell and use words like…read moreincongruous, though I haven't had the opportunity yet). But I like play parks. There comes a point when people stop making fun things for you. I mean, I'm in my early 20s, so people give me clothes and books instead of water-guns. Which is totally valid. But I think every now and then people should give their friends bouncy balls and hoola-hoops and frisbees. Seriously. So, this playpark is not half as cool as the one on the Meadows, but it's in a quieter less crowded part of the park. They have slides and monkey bars and all sort of fun things. I've many a time seen children having fun on them. (I've also seen older teenagers having fun on them. At night. With beer). If you feel like you're tired of being 20, maybe have a visit. If you're a parent, then take your children there, 'cause that's where it looks like the party is.

Relaxing Gardens with established trees & kids play area. During the summer putting green, red ash…read moretennis courts & bouncy castle.

A well kept clean park suitable for children aged 1-8years approx. There are two play areas, one…read morewith swings and one with a few climbing frames which have chutes and firemans poles on them. There is a large grassy area suitable for picnics in the summer. During summer time and at weekends there is a little shop open which sell tickets for a bouncy castle, tennis and mini golf. They also sell a small variety of snacks. The park is clean, though parking is limited.

As you head out of Dunoon, through Sandbank and along the A815, it's almost impossible to miss the…read moreBenmore Botanic Garden on the left hand side. It's a popular attraction for both tourists and locals. However, about a mile before you get there, on the opposite side of the road, you'll spot a little car park marked "Puck's Glen", and it is every bit as charming as the name suggests. In my free time I like to write, and as I'm frequently on the road I do much of my writing on my netbook, in my car, often in quiet little car parks, and for over a year I've been stopping every so often in the Puck's Glen car park. I'd seen the trail leading up into the wooded hill, but didn't take the time to venture out of my car and explore it until one day, in Autumn of last year, when, in the late afternoon as I sat writing, a deer wandered out of the trees and so close to my car if I'd opened my window I could have reached out and touched it. When it left I got out of the car and made my way along the trail, but as I was pressed for time I wasn't able to explore too far. It wasn't until last week that I was able to walk the length of the trail in full, and my God I don't regret it. The first thing I will say is that it isn't a walk for those looking for a gentle stroll. Nor is it a walk for those with bad knees or hips. The first part of the walk is a steep climb, though you're rewarded with a nice little bench in a shaded area when you do make it up the first leg. Then you have another steep climb that seems to go on forever and by the time you reach the top you're too exhausted to appreciate the outstanding views, particularly if the sun is out in full force. However, the climb is essential if you want to enjoy what has to be one of the most spectacular sights I've ever seen. If you follow the path markers around you come to a crossroads. The main path goes straight ahead, but there is a narrower, shaded path that goes left to right across it. The path to the right goes uphill, and after all the climbing I'd done already that day I couldn't stomach another ascent, but the path to the right goes down. It's a combination of a dirt track, gravel track and wooden steps that lead down several hundred feet to a concrete track that leads back to the car park, but it is the most wonderful experience imaginable for alongside the path runs a little stream that breaks into a series of dozens of mini-waterfalls and pools. The path is shaded and cool, with wooden railings to help you keep your balance on the tricky spots. There are a few bits where you need to walk across large stones which can be slippery when wet, but believe me, it's worth the effort. The waterfalls are simply magical and though the path, complete with wooden bridges that crisscross the stream at several points, has clearly been constructed by the forestry commission, it's easy to believe that you're the first person to ever see these magical sights. My favourite spot was about halfway down where the moss-covered rock-face to the right was literally dripping with water, an endless cascading shower of droplets. Wildlife fans won't be disappointed either. I counted eight deer on my ascent - I believe five were red deer (one a stag) and three were roe deer, but don't quote me on that. I encountered a couple of birds I don't think I'd ever seen before, including one that was black and white with a beautiful red chin, and at least half a dozen red squirrels. As I say, it's not a gentle stroll, and while you'll certainly sleep afterwards I don't think I'd call it relaxing, but it is spectacular and an experience not to be missed.

I'd normally start by telling you a little about the history. There's just way too much to…read moresummarize here. Just know that the castle was once in ruin like the others in the area. We can thank George Stuart (14th Earl of Moray) for repairing it by adding a new roof in the 1880s. That makes it very worth the £10 admission fee for an inside tour of the castle. It's worth a stop even if you don't plan on taking the tour. Have you ever seen the British comedy, Monty Python and the Holy Grail? It's the castle that you see in the funniest part of the movie when the French soldier is taunting King Arthur. There were other movie scenes filmed in and around the castle as well. What's cool is that there's a free transcript of the audio guide on their website that tells you where all the scenes took place. It was fun just to retrace the steps of the Trojan Rabbit on the pathway in front of the entrance. So funny! It's definitely a dry & satirical form of humor that I didn't quite understand the first time I saw it, but now I do. Duone Castle was also seen in Game of Thrones (the pilot episode) and Outlander. It's just a great filming location since it's out of the way, and along the River Teith. There are walking trails that will take you to the site of where a Roman fort used to be. The village is also nearby if you want to get a bite to eat. It was a nice stop on our way to Glencoe.

We were staying in the area for a few days. Didn't have much time though, got lots of plans. But…read morestill made some time to check out the famous Doune Castle. And since we are members of Historic Environment Scotland the entrance was free of charge. The carpark was full though - so we parked on the public lot behind the Co-op in town. An easy 10 minute walk away. The Castle is famous - many will know it from Game of Thrones or Outlander. But for me - and many many others - it will always be connected to Monty Python and the Holy Grail! The Audio-guide is even narrated by Terry Jones! The way the castle looks today is largely down to 'Scotland's uncrowned king'. Doune was the seat of Robert Stewart, the 1st Duke of Albany and Governor of Scotland. He acquired the castle in 1361. What we see today is probably only half a castle. Whether Doune was completed, and what might have been lost, is unclear. But even what remains today is very impressive and in great shape. If you do not feel like paying the entrance, you still can enjoy the outside views and even walk around it or enjoy the grounds outside. But going in (we took turns - since we were travelling with our Bulldog) is well worth the price and time. Monty Python used the exterior for shots as well as the interior. The courtyard inside is where the wedding party was taking place with John Cleese (as Lancelot) going berserk. But there's a lot more to see inside. Besides all the big halls inside, there are lots of small corners and hideaways to be discovered. As well as a lot of history to read (or listen to). A really good visit and not to be missed for fans or history buffs! Staff was wonderful, really friendly and welcoming. Surely a highlight on this years Road Trip through the UK. Highly recommended.

This place is fantastic for a sunny day out (if you're fortunate enough to catch one)…read more It's an unusual place to visit in that you have the combined attractions of forest walks with one of the longest beaches in Scotland (around 5 miles). There's also a large picnic table area which permits BBQ's, so you really could spend the whole day here. Access to the site is currently a very reasonable £2 per vehicle and there is plenty of parking as well as toilet facilities. If you've not been before, I'd definitely recommend it for a relaxing day trip!

Very nice playground for kids of toddler to primary school ages. Flying fox, swings, bridges, and…read morelots more. Accessible via safe walkway along train tracks.

This is 'the' place to hang out for dog walkers and young folks when the sun is out. A quick look…read morearound will make it clear there are a lot of dogs and students in this area. The park is only small but that just means you'll bump into more people you'll know.

Great views over the city and the hills beyond from here. I don't know much about mountain biking,…read morebut they've put in a lot of new trails for the Commonwealth Games, so I imagine it's going to be pretty popular once the Games are over. My only other experience of Cathkin Braes was driving past it very late one night and noticing that there seemed to be rather a lot of cars in the car park... which might give you a clue about the other popular recreational sport that goes on there. ;-)

I had heard about Cathkin Braes getting a MTB trail for a while. Then heard that it was going to be…read morethe place for the 2014 commonwealth MTB race. A good couple of months ago when it was unofficially opened. I decided to go for a visit and see what the fuss was about, and maybe get a view as to how my skills would fare against a commonwealth rated trail. When you find the place and get in to the car park. It doesn't seem like much and I couldn't see such a big event being held here. Then again you hear all the rumours of what they are going to put in here and it clicks together. There is a big billboard that faces you as you are parked which advertises the place and gives you a little inclination as which was to go. So we begin. As you face the billboard head right. Follow the path and to your left you have the Green route, a little bit of a waste. Gives you no indication of what you are about to experience. If you miss that out and carry straight on you will come to the good stuff. You will also find yourself at the top of a big drop with a wind turbine just on the left. Pretty cool. I chickened out the big drop. After this you are in for more white knuckle stuff. Twists, turns, bearms, drops, rocks and steep climbs. Everything you would want. At this time I got there everything was still a little new. Needed time to bed in. Think there will still be work done on it. Signs need to be a little clearer. Got lost half way round but eventually found my way. If they get all the rumoured additions and maybe add a couple of finishing touches this place will be really good and close enough to Glasgow city centre. Distance wise not like a Glentress more akin to Carron Valley. Definitely will be back here, mostly to improve on my last visit. It was scary and left its mark on me but I will have the last laugh.