Beinn Aoidhdailean

The climb up Beinn Aoidhdailean isn't long - a couple of hours tops - but it punches above its weight on the views front. You're looking at the Kintail range properly spread out before you, and on a clear day the perspective shifts something in your head about how vast the Highlands actually are. Kyle sits about four miles away as the crow flies, though the drive round takes you through some proper wild country.

This one's for walkers who want the satisfaction of a summit without committing their entire Saturday to it. Not suitable for toddlers, but teenagers with decent boots will find it manageable. The path isn't maintained in any formal sense - you're on rough ground and bog in places - so come prepared. There's no visitor facility, no café, nothing. Just you and the mountain.

Go in late spring through early autumn when the weather's cooperating more often than not. Winter's a different beast entirely. Free to visit, obviously - you're just walking up a Scottish peak.

If you're based at Glenshiel Campsite nearby, this works brilliantly as a morning outing before heading elsewhere. The campsite itself is well-rated, and having Beinn Aoidhdailean on your doorstep makes it worth staying put for a day rather than rushing on. The real sell here is the efficiency - genuine Highland scenery without the queues you'd find elsewhere.