Inverardran Cottage

The morning mist lifts off Loch Lomond just down the road, and the first light catches Ben More's snow-dusted summit straight ahead — you're deep in proper hillwalking country here.

Inverardran Cottage offers both hostel bunks and camping pods, so whether you're a solo Munro-bagger after a simple bed or a couple wanting your own snug wooden shelter, there's a berth. This is Crianlarich, the crossroads of the Highlands — walkers tackling the West Highland Way pass right through, climbers eye up the peaks, and anyone heading north or west for Glencoe or the islands tends to overnight here. It's a working basecamp kind of place, not a luxury retreat.

Facilities aren't listed in detail, so worth phoning ahead to check what's onsite — showers, kitchens, the usual hostel setup you'd expect. Dogs are a maybe (ask first), and campfires need checking on arrival. Open all year, which matters when you're chasing winter summits or need a roof during an October deluge. Honest, unpretentious, surrounded by some of Scotland's finest walking — that's the Inverardran vibe.