I climbed to the top of Serpentine Road, Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Scotland, before breakfast – at roughly the same time as I walked up there five and a half years ago. August mornings are lighter (and warmer) than February...

I can honestly recommend the B&B we stayed in in Rothesay, too: the Ardyne. (In February 2011 we stayed at the Bute House Hotel, which was lovely – but it’s now for sale.)