Creag na Cìche

The walk up Creag na Cìche rewards you with proper Highland views without the full-day commitment of Ben Vane or Schiehallion. It's a modest peak above Pitlochry - about 2,600 feet - but the scramble to the top is genuine enough to feel like an achievement. On a clear day you get sight lines across Perthshire towards the Cairngorms, and in autumn the hillside colours are worth the effort alone.

This is one for walkers with some hill experience rather than casual strollers. The path from Pitlochry isn't heavily signposted, and the final push involves loose scree and the odd bit of rock work. Depending on fitness it'll take you three to four hours return, so allow a full morning and grab a packed lunch. Go midweek if you can - weekends bring out the crowds from Edinburgh.

Families with confident young walkers might manage it, but toddlers will struggle on the upper sections. It's best tackled from April through October when the paths are dry and the weather more predictable. Winter makes it sketchy without proper kit.

If you're staying at Faskally Woods or Milton Of Fonab - both within a couple of miles - Creag na Cìche fits naturally into a week of Perthshire walking. Pair it with easier local walks around Loch Tummel or the Pass of Killiecrankie if you want mixed difficulty days.