Meall Fead

The walk up Meall Fead from Pitlochry is a proper Highlands experience without requiring a full day's commitment. It's a decent hill - 651 metres - and you'll bag proper views across the Tummel Valley and out towards the bigger peaks that frame the area.

The route itself is straightforward enough. Most folk start near Pitlochry and head up through mixed woodland before the terrain opens out. On a clear day, the vista from the top stretches far enough that you feel like you've earned your lunch. The paths are well-used, which means they're easy to follow but can get a bit boggy when it's been wet.

For walkers basing themselves at one of the caravan parks nearby - Faskally Woods is closest at just over two miles away - this works perfectly as a half-day outing. It's not a trudge that'll leave you knackered before dinner. Families with kids aged nine or ten upwards will manage it without complaint, though the youngest might need coaxing on the steeper bits.

Go early if the weather looks decent. Midday crowds aren't really an issue on quieter Perthshire peaks like this, but morning light makes the whole thing rather more pleasant. Allow two to three hours for the round trip depending on your pace.

Frankly, if you're staying in the Pitlochry area and have half a day free, you could do worse. It's not spectacular in the way Ben Vane is, but it's accessible, the reward is genuine, and you won't feel short-changed.