Loch Tarsan is a 273 acre Hydro Electric loch, formed by the flooding of part of Glen Lean. It is…read morelocated beside the B838 about eight miles north-west of Dunoon on the Cowal peninula in Argyll; there is a dam on the west side and it is stocked with brown trout for fishing. From here the road drops steeply down towards Loch Striven. A breathtakingly beautiful area, great walking country too.

I am jealous. I am jealous that there are people in this world who can get up every morning and go…read morehere, even if just for a quick morning walk. We visited Loch Lomond on New Year's Day and can I just say it made for the most magical start to a new year for me. I'm floored by its beauty and tranquility and if its the start of the Highlands, holy cow - or rather coo! My tour group couldn't get over how stunning the light, filtered through clouds touched upon the hillsides. The park was clean and everyone did their part to keep it that way. No one was too noisey either. Would love to come back and explore more!

Truly, a magnificent park and one a few untouched by development in Scotland. Jagged peaks and…read moresteep mountain tops punctuate the sky and mark some of the most prestige wilderness areas in the world. I wholeheartedly loved this park and my time exploring it. Going back, I would spend a weekend and camp here to really immerse myself (guess I have a good excuse).

A lovely place Be…read moreaware: Marker on map is way off (at the time I wrote this at least - Park is at the Balloch Castle in Balloch) We walked around Balloch for a while until we started walking along the Loch. It's a nice, pretty short trail leading along the Loch or through the woods. Shortly after you'll find yourself on a huge lawn in front of the Balloch Castle. There are several trails around this area to choose from. The big lawn is really a paradise for humans and pets as well. Even though it was a lovely summer day it never felt crowded and everybody had enough space to do whatever they liked. A good place to let your doggy run free. It offers lots of nice picnic spots with nice views. The Castle itself was partly under construction at the time. The lakeside right at Balloch feels more crowded, be sure to walk just a wee bit further to this park for more space and more views.

I can see the Loch, feel the sun, and there are about 8 people and a dog in my fields of vision. It…read moremay be worth paying the £6 odd train fare and a 40min train journey from Glasgow to go to a park not absolutely mobbed with people and noise. It's about a 10min walk from the train station and there's a Keystore little shop which I am guessing would be good for grabbing snack and beverage provisions. We also have GPS on two phone so not worried about getting lost...

A gorgeous, remote beach - perhaps the most beautiful on the Isle of Bute, about 3 miles west of…read moreRothesay on the opposite coastline. The beach is a mixture of sand and shingle and stretches for over a mile. There are marvellous views on a clear day towards Arran and Kintyre. The seasonal tour bus will drop you off here beside a wonderful cafe - the Ettrick Bay Tearoom (definitely not to be missed!) and you can have a meal, walk along the beach and pick up a later bus to take you back to Rothesay. If you have the car with you there is a large car park beside the cafe. Nearby is the ancient Colmac stone circle.

Well it's easy for me to give this loch 5 stars because it is one of my very favourite places to…read morevisit! I've walked the paths and roads around here over many years and I learnt to drive on some of them too. This is the largest of a group of reservoirs in this area and named after the engineer Robert Thom (1774 - 1847). He designed the scheme to create this reservoir which has provided Greenock with water since 1827. A wonderful place to take a walk - you won't meet many people either. There are two nearby cafes and a large free car park. Video link: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AGNIjq-60ns

A magnificent mountainside botanic garden set in 120 acres on the beautiful Cowal peninsula. The…read moreavenue of giant redwood trees is particularly impressive. We climbed up hundreds of steps to reach a hilltop area with spectacular views across the top of the forest. There's a special people carrier which offers rides for those with mobility needs, and many of the paths are wheelchair-friendly. They have exhibitions, talks and arranged walks to learn more about the gardens too. Definitely worth a visit!

You can't miss this location. Any hiking in this area can lead to magnificent views. Sadly most of…read morethe landscape in Scotland in covered with farmed trees.

It might be a mystery but Castle Semple does not really have a castle. So don't be disappointed if…read morea visible castle is not apparent. If you walk about a mile north on the shared path, you will come to the Collegiate Church that is worth seeing. Close by are "The Cascades". Still don't know why that is their name but it is a really interesting diversion. Then back through Parkhill Woods with the Totem Pole and a wee bit of deviation, the rhododendron maze. A wonderful day out. Just, please, don't ride bikes over the pedestrian pathways. They just churn the pathways to mud and kills accessibility for those in wheelchairs or those who find walking on loose surfaces difficult. Thank you for your attention.

Great for walking along the side of the loch from the visitor centre; very attractive with the loch…read moreon one side and fields full of cows on the other. The visitor centre is large, overlooking the water, and you can buy some gifts there. There are many snacks available in the cafe - we would wish for a bit more choice; I'm sure if they offered a full menu (including some vegetarian choices) they would get the custom. It always seems to be popular and quite busy (when we've gone there anyway).

At 175 acres, Loch Fad is Bute's largest fresh water loch, and home to healthy populations of brown…read moretrout, rainbow trout, and northern pike. Trout range in weight from the scrappy little pounders to the occasional double digit monsters. And with such an abundance of trout to forage upon, Loch Fad's pike frequently reach trophy proportions. A typical trout season runs from early March to late December, but anglers are free to pursue pike year round. At just over two miles from the center of Rothesay, Loch Fad is very accessible to visiting anglers. If arriving via ferry, take a taxi from the Rothesay pier to the Loch Fad Bailiff's Hut. Once there, the hut keepers will set you up with everything you'll need for a successful day (or half day) on the water. Whether it's a fishing permit or flies, equipment rental or a ghillie, a map of the loch or local advice, they will accommodate all of your necessities. A maximum of 30 boats are available, and only for fly fishing, so be sure to contact the Baliff's Hut in advance to reserve yours. At £18.00 for a day permit, a day of fishing on Loch Fad is both affordable and enjoyable. Trout are stocked weekly to supplement the indigenous populations, and to ensure that all anglers have an opportunity to present their fly to fish. With shorelines that remain wild and free from development, the waters of Loch Fad are clear, clean, and the ideal habitat for fish and the aquatic insects that they feed upon. Hatches occur throughout the season, so be sure to ask the Bailiff which flies have been working best. If you find yourself visiting the Isle of Bute, be sure to schedule a day of fishing on Loch Fad. I did, and armed only with a rental rod and boat, a few flies, and a bit of sound advice from the Bailiff, I was able to catch a number of beautiful rainbow trout. Lacking the means to cook them, I let them swim away for another angler to catch. So get yourself over to Loch Fad, and see if you can find these rainbows with the pierced lips