Càrn an Leth-choin

This one's a proper hill walk from Newtonmore, not a full-on mountain but high enough to feel like you've earned something when you reach the top. The name means 'cairn of the lame dog' in Gaelic, which tells you something about the landscape round here - it's got character and stories baked in. The walk itself takes a couple of hours depending on your pace, climbing through moorland with views that open up across the Cairngorms. On a clear day you can see for miles. On a Scottish day - which could be any day - you get mist and drama instead, which is honestly just as good.

It's best suited to walkers with some hill experience under their belt. You'll want proper boots and a map, not just optimism and trainers. Families with younger children might find it a bit much, though determined teenagers will be fine. The route isn't technically difficult, just steep in patches and exposed at the top.

There's no visitor centre or facilities at the peak itself - bring water and snacks. The walk is free, obviously. Newtonmore's just a small village but it's got what you need. If you're staying at Laggan Glamping or Invernahavon Caravan Park - both within five miles - this makes a brilliant morning or afternoon outing. The Highland scenery round here is genuinely worth the detour, and bagging a hill like this beats spending another hour at a visitor centre any day.