An Suidhe

The walk up An Suidhe from Pitlochry is short, steep, and absolutely worth the huffing and puffing. You're looking at maybe forty-five minutes to the summit if you're reasonably fit, starting from the town centre and climbing through woodland that opens out onto moorland. The views across the Tummel Valley are genuinely arresting - on a clear day you can see right across to the Grampians, and Pitlochry itself shrinks to a neat little grid below.

This isn't a long expedition, which is precisely why it works so well if you're camped nearby. Milton Of Fonab or Grandtully Station are both close enough that you can knock this out before lunch without exhausting yourself or the kids. It's the kind of peak that rewards you properly for minimal effort - a real morale boost after a morning of driving or settling in at the caravan.

Walkers get the most from it, obviously, though families with teenagers find it manageable. Younger children might grumble about the steeper sections, but the summit cairn gives them something to aim for. The climb itself is straightforward - no scrambling, no technical bits, just determination and decent boots.

There's no visitor centre or facilities at the top, so bring water. Free to walk, obviously. Go early if you're going in summer - the car parks in Pitlochry fill up faster than you'd think. Autumn's proper lovely up here, with the light hitting the valley at that low angle that makes everything look golden.