Arrochar’s famous mountain – The Cobbler – featured on TV recently in a documentary celebrating the amazing opportunities for walking in Scotland’s Great Outdoors.

In Take A Hike, an Adventure Show special on BBC2, viewers saw broadcaster and writer Cameron McNeish scale the popular peak which commands a prominent position at the top of Loch Long.

Although falling short of Munro status, the Cobbler is one of the most impressive summits in the Southern Highlands standing at 2,900ft which makes it a Corbett.

Viewers watched Cameron “thread the needle” – a tricky manoeuvre where climbers wanting to stand on the summit have to squeeze through a narrow gap to climb the remaining few feet onto the top of an exposed rock with sheer drops on every side.

Before tackling the hair-raising manoeuvre, he said: “It’s typical that the most challenging part of the climb is kept to the very last.”

To make it more challenging, he had dressed specially for this part of the programme in vintage climbing gear, including a pair of heavy boots with nailed soles, to see how it compared with modern mountain wear.

As he scrambled precariously towards the top, he said: “Not sure if it was a good idea to wear these boots.”

But he made it safely to the mist-shrouded summit much to the viewers’ – and presumably his own - relief.

The Cobbler, also known as Ben Arthur, gets its name from the rocky profile which some people think looks like a cobbler bending over a lathe.

It has been a favourite hill for many generations of walkers and climbers keen to enjoy the summits, and its relative proximity to the Central Belt makes it accessible from Dumbarton, Clydebank and Helensburgh.

In the pioneering days of climbing, many enthusiasts would head north to Arrochar on a Friday after work in the factories and spend the weekend based in Arrochar as they tackled The Cobbler, Ben Ime and other challenging summits. Many slept rough or camped on the shore of Loch Long.

It is no less popular nowadays, with many tourists joining The Cobbler’s local fans as they scale its slopes, but many decide that “threading the needle” is a bit too risky and give it a miss.

In the documentary, Cameron – author of recently published ‘There’s Always the Hills’ - stressed the amazing opportunities Scotland has to offer walkers and hikers and urged people to discover for themselves the enjoyment and health-giving benefits of being out of doors.

Note: People are advised to take precautions when heading into the hills.

This includes taking warm clothing, stout footwear, a map and snacks such as chocolate and water or a soft drink.

Tell friends and family the route you are taking and the time you expect to return.