Creag Bheag

The walk up Creag Bheag from Newtonmore is straightforward enough - a proper wee hill rather than a slog, which means you'll actually want to do it instead of just thinking about it. The ascent takes around an hour from the car park, climbing through mixed woodland before opening out onto moorland with views across the Cairngorms that justify the effort without requiring mountaineering skills.

What makes this one worthwhile is the isolation. You won't fight crowds here like you do on Ben Nevis or Cairngorm itself. The summit itself is modest but the 360-degree vantage point gives you the Monadhliath Mountains rolling away to the west and the Cairngorms proper to the east. On a clear day - and you want to wait for one - it's genuinely stirring.

Families with kids aged eight upwards will manage this comfortably. It's steep enough to feel like an achievement but not so technical that you need specialist gear. Allow three hours return, longer if you want to linger and actually look at the view rather than just tick it off.

If you're based at Laggan Glamping just up the road, this fits perfectly into a highland park holiday - close enough for a morning mission without burning half the day on travel. Spring and autumn are best; summer midges can be murder, and winter requires proper planning. Free, obviously. Just turn up.