Creag a'Mhadaidh

The walk up Creag a'Mhadaidh rewards you with one of those rare Perthshire views that actually justifies the climb. It's a proper hill rather than a munro - nothing too punishing, but steep enough that you'll feel you've earned the summit. From the top, the Tummel Valley spreads out below like a map, with Ben Vrackie dominating the southern horizon. The scramble up takes a couple of hours from Pitlochry, depending on your fitness and how often you stop to catch your breath and stare at the valley.

This is the sort of walk that suits people who want more than a gentle riverside stroll but aren't ready to commit to a full mountain day. Families with older kids will manage it fine, though very young children might struggle with the steeper sections near the summit. The route itself isn't technical - just energy-sapping in places. Go when the weather's settled; cloud cover makes the views pointless and the paths slippery.

If you're based at one of the nearby parks - Pitilie Pods is cracking if you can get in, or Grandtully Station Campsite for a proper campground feel - Creag a'Mhadaidh slots in nicely as a morning mission. Pitlochry itself sits right there, so you've got cafes and shops to sort yourself out before or after. It's not the famous walk everyone's heard of, which is rather the point. Worth the detour if you're hiking in the area.