To the west of Kinross lies a series of small villages such as Crook of Devon, Rumbling Bridge and Powmill that centre around their village shop and local hotel/bar. This is great walking country – nowhere more so than in spectacular Glen Devon, a real Highland glen in the Ochil Hills only 20 miles or so north of Edinburgh.

A road runs through the length of the glen giving easy access to footpaths and tracks that suit all levels of walkers. The less energetic can enjoy walking up the reservoirs at Glenquey, Glensherup and Upper and Lower Glendevon all of them popular with anglers. Alternatively, Glendevon Forest, by the road to Dunning, has an extensive network of footpaths.

You can also explore this area with the Perthshire Off-Road Driving Centre that is based in the glen and offers 4 x 4s, quad bikes, ATVs and rally carts as well as clay shooting.

Enthusiasts can also use OS maps to follow tracks up and around hills that reach up to heights of 650 metres. On the empty, open hilltops it can be difficult to believe you are little more than 30 minutes drive from Scotland’s major population centres.