With hundreds of miles of shoreline and rolling hills just waiting to be explored, Rosneath Castle Park is the perfect destination for dog-friendly caravan holidays in Scotland. Here’s a guide to some of our favourite walks for you and your four-legged friends!

• Clynder Woodland & Kilcreggan Circular

  A great route around the tip of the Rosneath peninsula with brilliant views over the Argyll hills, Gare Loch, and the Firth of Clyde, right down to the Isles of Bute and Arran. The trail includes some boggy terrain at times and steep climbs, so come prepared with the appropriate footwear. It takes you along undulating roads for the half and a relatively flat coastal road from Kilcreggan, past Rosneath and Clynder, back to the trailhead.

• Ardmore Point, Near Helensburgh

  Start from Ardmore Point car park, this is a short, easy walk around a small peninsula in the Firth of Clyde. Excellent views with seal and bird watching opportunities. The narrow path, can be very muddy at times. Bus on A814 from Helensburgh or Dumbarton stops at road end at Lyleston Cottage.

• Peaton Hill Forest Walk

  Peaton Hill leads to a magnificent viewing point of the Clyde coast and Loch Long. It’s a bit of a climb but not anything too strenuous. It’s a real favourite amongst all the local dog owners so do expect to meet lots of doggie friends on your walk. The walk is over a forestry commission track. The trees were cut down a couple of years back which now means there is an uninterrupted view of Loch Long and the Clyde estuary.

  To access the hill, park in the Peaton Hill Community Nature Reserve Car Park and walk over the road to the entrance to the Forestry Commission track. There is only one path leading up to the viewing point so you cannot get lost and there are some picnic tables at the top for you to sit and enjoy the view. It is a quiet area away from cars so you can be confident there will be no traffic or sheep. You can also take an alternative path to Peaton Hill Nature Reserve, a shorter walk being a kilometre in total but sheltered on a wet day.

• Duchess Woods

  Situated at the western edge of Helensburgh, Duchess Wood is a long established community woodland and is set within the greenbelt of Helensburgh. Open to the public, it has excellent paths and a car park. There are four main entry points. Duchess Wood is a Local Nature Reserve.

• Helensburgh and Rhu Explorer

  Starting from the Hill House in Helensburgh, this is a lovely route linking Mackintosh’s Hill House in leafy Helensburgh with Glenarn Gardens and Rhu Marina via a high path with great views and a woodland nature reserve. Woodland paths and roads (some with no pavement).

• Ben Bowie Loop

  This route uses a mixture of pavements, gravel footpaths and forestry road. The optional spurs to the summits of Gouk Hill and Ben Bowie involve unmarked paths over uneven and sometimes boggy or muddy ground, however the bulk of the route follows the waymarked routes of the John Muir Way and Three Lochs Way. With 1,300ft of elevation gain in 10 miles, it’s a hilly route and steep in places, requiring a good degree of fitness.

• Balloch Castle Country Park

  A lovely circular walk through Balloch Country Park, with good views over Loch Lomond and a visit to a well-planted walled garden and the outside of Balloch House. Consists of tarmac track and paths, mainly flat. Regular buses from Glasgow and Crianlarich as well as Citylink coaches which stop on the A42.

• Succoth, Arrochar

  Difficult, but rewarding walk over three peaks. Beginning at Succoth Car Park, the walk crosses the main road to start a low incline woodland trail. Emerging from the treelike having climbed approximately 300m, the walk follows the river to the left of the trail, climbing to 500m elevation. The trail forks, take the left path to ascend The Cobbler from the front, this involves some scrambling and three points of contact to ascend the steepest parts. On arriving at the top of the first summit, the path turns left to make the final ascent to The Cobbler at 884m. Walking around The Cobbler, the walk continues forward to the second peak, Arthur’s Seat at 858m, following which the walk starts to descend, walking to the final, third peak, An t-Sron at 614m. The descent takes the route down the front of An t-Sron and then turns to the left to meet the river at the bottom. Traversing the river, the route then returns along the outbound woodland trail to emerge at the main road at the bottom and crosses back over to return to the carpark.

• Beinn Dubh

  Starting from Luss car park, the circuit of the hills above Glen Straddle makes an excellent short hill walk. The ascent up the grassy ridge rising from Luss is a delight and the views over Loch Lomond and towards the Arrochar Alps are superb. Grassy hillwalking; some areas of peat on the plateau and some wetter sections of path lower down. Regular buses from Glasgow and Crianlarich as well as Citylink coaches which stop on the A82.

• The Three Lochs Way

  A long-distance walking route linking Loch Lomond, Gareloch and Loch Long in four stages, the Three Lochs Way has a railway station at the start and end of each section, except at the very end at Inveruglas where there is only a bus stop. Beginning at Balloch, gateway to the Loch Lomond National Park, the route crosses the moors to reach Helensburgh and Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Hill House. It then crosses over to Glen Fruin and then enters the military training areas high above the nuclear weapons base at Faslane. After a detour to Garelochhead the route continues through the military ranges high above Loch Long. Arrochar, famous for its mountain skyline, is the next stop before a final stretch through the hills leads to Inveruglas on Loch Lomond. The route joins with the Cowal Way at Arrochar and both link to the West Highland Way by ferry from Inveruglas.

• Inveraray Castle

  Experience this 5.0-km out-and-back trail near Inveraray, Argyll and Bute. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 40 min to complete. This is a very popular area for hiking, running, and walking, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring. Dogs are welcome and may be off-lead in some areas.

• Conic Hill

  Conic Hill is a sharp little summit rising above Balmaha. Right on the Highland Boundary Fault, this short hill walk offers truly fantastic views over Loch Lomond and its many islands. Start from Balmaha car park or can get the 309 Bus from Balloch. Good path on the ascent, with steps. The detour from the West Highland Way up to the summit involves a short rocky scramble.

• Ben Lomond

  Ben Lomond is one of the most popular Munros, rewarding the 30,000 people who make it to the top with truly fantastic views of the length of Loch Lomond and its islands. The view to the north reveals range beyond range of mountains into the Highlands. The path up is well made, but the optional return down the Ptarmigan ridge is steep and rocky, and muddy lower down. Clear path with some rocky sections, most especially on the alternative, rougher return route. As with all mountain walks, full hillwalking clothing and equipment must be carried. If there is snow on the route this includes an ice-axe and crampons. Starting at Rowardennan car park. No bus transport to start, but you can access via a summer ferry from Tarbet Pier across the loch; there are buses to Tarbet from Glasgow and Balloch.

• Ardgartan Circular

  This beautiful and varied circuit from Ardgartan begins with a road stretch, but soon leads along the shores of Loch Long and then follows the wooded banks of the Croe Water. Ardgartan is located in the centre of a wide natural beauty region. Red squirrels, roe deer, buzzards, and owls thrive in the Sitka and Norway spruce forest. Otters, kingfishers, and bats live in the mixed woods along the numerous tiny rivers and fires. The routes provide spectacular views for bikers, pedestrians, and horseback riders. There is no fee to park in the lot.

• Duck Bay To Ben Boule

  Start this route at the car park at Duck Bay Beach. You will take a road toward Balloch, cross the A-road then join the trail at Upper Stoneymollan. This is a great route for hill training but beware of the bog at the top of the hill. There are lovely views of Loch Lomond and the Clyde. Plenty of good hills along the way to test your legs and look out at the variety of scenery from old buildings to wide open fields.

• Puck’s Glen Trail

  This is a beautiful forest and waterside trail where you can enjoy scenic paths through the trees and along the winding Puck’s Glen. Spot in the waterfalls, absorb the atmospheric scenery, and keep an eye out for wildlife, but take care on the rougher and steeper sections, especially in wetter conditions. Appropriate footwear is advised.