Creag Àrd Achaidh

The walk up Creag Àrd Achaidh rewards you with views across the Great Glen that frankly justify the effort. It's a proper hill walk rather than a casual stroll - steep in places, boggy in others - but the summit gives you Loch Ness sprawling below and the mountains rolling away toward Ben Nevis. Allow three hours minimum from Fort Augustus, which sits right at the base. You'll pass through pine forest at the start, then moorland, and the scramble to the top isn't technical but it demands a bit of fitness.

Walkers will absolutely get their money's worth here. If you're staying at Loch Ness Highland Resort or one of the other parks nearby, this makes a brilliant full-day adventure without driving anywhere. Families with older kids keen on hills will manage it fine; younger ones might find the boggy sections a drag. The view from the top is genuinely worth the climb - on a clear day, which is rare enough that you shouldn't bank on it.

There's no visitor facility at the summit, so take what you need. It's free to walk, obviously, and the path is reasonably well-marked once you're committed. Go early in the day - the weather turns quick in the Highlands, and you want good light for the descent. It's the kind of walk that finishes you off properly, then you can head back to Fort Augustus for a proper meal.