Craigshannoch

The walk up Craigshannoch rewards you with one of those views that makes the effort actually feel worthwhile. It's a proper hill walk rather than a casual stroll - nothing technical, but you'll feel it in your legs by the summit. From the top, you get that genuine Highland panorama: rolling moorland stretches out in every direction, and on a clear day the visibility is genuinely impressive.

Walkers will get the most from this one. It's the kind of peak that appeals to people who want something more demanding than a flat forest trail but don't need the scrambling and exposure of the bigger Cairngorm peaks. Allow a good three to four hours return from Pitfichie, depending on your pace and how long you fancy sitting about at the top with a flask. Spring through autumn are your best windows - winter can be bleak up here and the paths get properly muddy after rain.

If you're based at Glamping Bothie nearby, this makes an excellent half-day adventure. The bothie itself is a five-star spot, so you can ease into the week with this walk without committing to a full multi-day route. It's exactly the kind of local peak that gets overlooked when everyone's chasing Ben Macdui, which means fewer people and that blessed quiet you actually want from a Highland walk.