To Glasgow's immediate north and west – around today's Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park – is where Scottish tourism first took off in Victorian times. And it's easy to see why.

Here Argyll offers a land of rocky peaks and pretty sea-lochs. Its centrepiece is Loch Fyne with its great oysters and pretty town of Inveraray.

North and west of here lies an area particularly known for its mild climate and copious rain – which allows splendid gardens like Arduaine to flourish.

It was perfect for Scotland's prehistoric and earliest civilisations too – since they left behind a glut of finds and sites to explore in places like Kilmartin Glen.

But these days the main regional town is likeable Oban - which is operates as a hub for ferries to many nearby islands including Mull (and Iona).