Trees, trees and yet more glorious life-affirming, oxygen-pumping trees are the main attraction at this remote, 22-acre escape on Argyll’s sleepy Cowal Peninsula. Glendaruel sits in a hollow at the foot of its eponymous glen, shrouded by woodland. There are only 10 pitches for tents, most set in a generously sized grassy field away from the caravans and statics, and red squirrels and rabbits often outnumber campers.
A recent arrival has been the Little Camping Lodge: a cosy wooden bolthole that can sleep up to four and is a great wet-weather option, with the owners planning to pop up another couple of lodges over the next few years. More conventional campers can use the campers’ kitchen-cum-dining-shelter.
A variety of paths snake their way into the thick web of surrounding forests, with a large grass field also on hand for wee ones to run around in, and a couple of swings and a bijou playground. Cowal itself is not well-known, even among most Scots, so its quiet roads tend to be ideal for cycling and hiking, while the surrounding waters dish up a rich bounty of seafood that can be enjoyed in the local restaurants and pubs.