The Saltings are a nature reserve located under the Erskine Bridge. They shoulder the Kilpatrick…read morehills on one side and look across to Marr Hall and Erskine on the other. The views down to Dumbarton Rock are spectacular. This area was developed from the flood planes of the River Clyde. You can walk a few routes around the area and can connect onto the cycle path along the Forth Canal. From the Saltings you can walk down to the Bowling basin and further down to Dumbarton. Well known for it's many species of birds but also deer have been known to frequent this area. Popular for dog walkers, cyclists and walkers alike. There are some seats scattered around the area however there aren't any picnic benches, which is a shame.

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...

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).

The Carron Valley. I would say it was a hidden gem…read more If you enjoy walking, cycling or fishing this will tick a fair few boxes. Tucked away in the middle of nowhere it might seem but there are many ways to get here. Some more scenic. You can go up through the campsie hills heading to Fintry. Or head to Kilsyth and take the Takmadoon road. I tend these days to hit the M80 and come through Stoneywood and a wee place called Fankerton. When you arrive at the car park you are now asked to pay. Just like in most forestry type places. To help with the upkeep. £1 for the hour, £2 for 2 hours and £3 for the day. Not much. Toilets on site. Not much phone signal and no shops. So buy stuff before you head over. Picnic tables are available. For fishing, you will have to get a permit. Use the link above which will give you directions and show you a tariff. MTB they have a couple of trails. They have a little skills area which is being constructed at the moment. You will be guided through this from the car park. Then follow the main 'road'. The reservoir dam will appear on your right hand side and the trails will start on the left. You can take the trails up or just follow the road. For an ideal warm up I would suggest the trails. Trail names are Pipedream, Eas Dubh, The Cannonball Run and the Runaway. All trails will have jumps here and there but you can miss them out as there is a path right next to them which cuts them out. All great fun. Something to try out. You can even cycle round the reservoir or walk it. Just follow the roads or take the paths marked just beyond the car park. Both trails or round the reservoir will give you a good workout. I don't know too much about this, but they have built a Medieval village. Which is open on some weekends. I really don't know what is going on with it but you can see it as you are cycling. Looks quite cool. Also heard Russell Crowe had helped out a little. Only 4 stars because I feel it could do with a little bit more. Extra trails or improvements. No phone signal is a bit of a worry too.

Carron valley is brilliant. For a novice like me it's just amazing. You could spend a few hours…read moreon the trails and its fast, flowing and good for whizzing about. Can't recommend it highly enough. Not sure if it would be better if it was extended and had a shop. Something for the cooncil tae think about. Could be a money spinner maybe. One thing to add, there is a meter in the car park which is about 2 quid for a few hours.

Perhaps the Piers is by no means special. You most probably won't go out of your way to see it. Of…read morecourse, if you do happen to stumble across this area, a pleasant walk by the river shalln't go a miss. But for me, I hold some precious memories of the Piers, so it'll always have a special place in my heart. We often found some interesting things here and one visit even lead to an inspired song-writing session with my band. Now, we always sing of The Piers! The Piers resides by Corton Vale prison and alongside the River Forth. If you follow the trails, you encounter some great views and brilliant photo opportunities. It's usually very quiet and perfect for some off-road cycling or some writing or some reflecting outdoors. At the start of the Piers trail, there's a nesting place for those who frequent the area for fishing. We enjoyed watching this transform over time, and now it's a fully-fledged den with a tin rooftop. Kudos to whoever built that thing! There also used to be a little hut at the top of some stairs near the fishing area, but this was burnt down. Thus, sending our imaginations into overdrive! In fact, every time we visit the Piers, there's something to see, even if it's just the water and its ever-varying levels. It's a beautiful place to walk and discover. So, in short, of course, it's a river and some land. But for me, it was mystery; a place to go full of gin at midnight, with a guitar and accompanying voices; a place to have morning tea, cups in hands; a place to be. If all you have is a walk, then I'm sure it'll be a good one.

We stopped at the South Car Park and picnic area on Loch Lubnaig off of the A84 near Callander…read more It's managed by Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. There's not much in the way of facilities here. Just a few picnic tables and grill. You'll find the rest of the facilities at the North Car Park that is about a mile up the highway. The picnic area is just to the left of the entrance and over the bridge. It does get a little boggy there since it sits right on the bank of the lake. However, it appears to be a good place to launch paddle boats. The water comes right up to the edge. We did see a person paddle boating along the way. Just make sure to heed the warnings about the sudden drop close to shore. It's very deep water. It truly is a hidden scenic spot that is worth a visit. We enjoyed a peaceful view of whispy clouds, mountains, forested hills, and the beautiful Loch Lubnaig (the crooked lake). It's the perfect spot for those who enjoy water activities and nature.

Beautiful lake in the Trossachs area of the Highlands. We came on an extremely cold day or we would…read morehave taken a boat tour. Pretty area to hike or bike around. The tiny gift shop has hot tea served by a friendly staff.

If ever I needed encouragement at the mid-point of a challenging, torturously hilly 32 mile cycle,…read morethen catching sight of Loch Katrine was it. The Aberfoyle/Dukes Pass/Loch Katrine loop we tackled was a beautiful, scenic route and any difficult climbs paid off in the abundance of awe-inducing views as we came soaring back down. Loch Katrine was a definite highlight for me. She's a beauty and well-worth the visit whether you're planning on biking, walking or taking a trip on the flagship Sir Walter Scott steamship which we were lucky enough to catch sight of. Cyclists, this whole area in general is just great and this route has been my favourite so far. The hills are tough but coming down them is genuinely breath-taking. I definitely want to return to Aberfoyle again and do all kinds of lovely touristy things. Visiting Loch Katrine will definitely be one of them.

So today was a sunny spring day so a group of us decided to head to the whangie, I'd been before…read moreearlier in the year but it was so icey we had to turn back after only getting half way.. The whangie and Queens view is only 30 minutes from Glasgows city centre in the car, unfortunately I don't think there is any public transport to get there. There is a small car park at the bottom which on sunny days will be busy.. The first part of the walk is the toughest bit, but even then it's not that tough.. It's a lovely walk for walkers of all abilities.. There are parts which you have to be careful and concentrate on, but most of it is easy.. As I said today it's a talkie walk, which means you can chat whilst doing it without needing to catch your breath.. The views from the start are amazing you can see loch Lomond which today looked beautiful and blue.. Once you get to the top you see the actual Whangie.. It's a big piece of rock that has a slice through the middle which you can walk through, it is beautiful, I loved it.. Legend has it that the whangie was created by an angry dragon whose tail smashed through the rock, creating the slice.. It's a really lovely walk and to the top and back down took about 1 1/2 hours..