Three spur-of-the-moment foodie pilgrimages from Glasgow

How far? One hour, 30 minutes.

Arguably Scotland’s best restaurant, Inver not only serves delicious food, it also sports unparalleled views over Loch Fyne and the historic ruins of Old Castle Lachlan. It’s great value, too. Co-owners Pam Brunton (chef) and Rob Latimer (front of house) have done stints at Noma and Fäviken, and much of the produce is foraged locally. You might find yourself eating mussels tossed with wild garlic, or Gigha halibut with foraged coastal greens. Make the most of it and stay over at the onsite bothies. The drive to get there – through glens, past lochs and over the picturesque Rest and Be Thankful mountain pass – is Scotland at its best.

Order this: The crab. They blitz the brown meat with burnt butter and serve the voluptuous sauce in the shell with chewy sourdough for dipping.

How far? One hour, 25 minutes.

Once you arrive at the pretty, rambling seaside town of North Berwick, palest-white Bass Rock perched in the sea ahead of you, it’s time for a coffee at über-cool roastery Steampunk Coffee (it’s quietly vegetarian, and they have a great range of vegan food, too, if that’s your angle). Then grab a pastry at Bostock Bakery, which boasts Noma’s René Redzepi as a fan. Then head over to North Berwick Fry to pick up a ‘poke’ of fish and chips to eat on the chilly sands of the beach, whatever the season.

Order this: A briochey bostock at Bostock; a flattie at Steampunk and fish and chips at North Berwick Fry.

How far? Two hours, 20 minutes.

Known locally as ‘the green shack’, Oban Seafood Hut has gained considerable fame in recent years, but it’s still the same humble eatery at its heart. Oban is Scotland’s major port town for access to the Western Isles, and the green shack is situated right at the ferry terminal, overlooking the boats shuffling people back and forth to some of the remotest parts of the UK. Stop in at the shack and see what’s on the menu (it depends what local fishermen have caught that day). And time the drive for daylight hours – you won’t want to miss tracing the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond and winding through the peaks and troughs of this mountainous part of Western Scotland.

Order this: Lobster if they have it, or crab sandwiches if they don’t.