Creag an Eunan

The walk up Creag an Eunan rewards you with something proper special - sweeping views across Aberdeenshire from a modest height that doesn't demand a dawn start or technical climbing gear. It's the sort of peak that locals know rather than tourists, which means you'll likely have the ridge to yourself even on a decent day.

From Strathdon, the approach is straightforward fell-walking terrain. The climb itself takes a couple of hours up and back, depending on pace and how long you linger at the top. What makes it worth the effort isn't the altitude - there are higher hills round about - but the angle of the view. You get proper perspective on the Cairngorms to the south and the open moorland spreading north. On clear days you can pick out distant peaks that make the whole Highland geography suddenly make sense.

Families with older kids will manage it fine. Younger ones might flag on the descent if legs are already tired from holiday activities. The path is mostly good underfoot, though exposed in wind. Walkers after something meaty will find it a bit gentle, but couples or small groups after an afternoon peak bag will find it ideal. There's no cafe at the top, so pack something.

It slots perfectly into a Cairngorms holiday base. Stay at Cairngorms Glamping & Campsite nearby - just over five miles away - and use this as a warm-up walk before tackling the bigger routes. Free to climb, obviously. Go midweek if you can; weekends bring the car park crowds from further afield.