Cairnconon Hill

The walk up Cairnconon Hill takes you through proper Highland terrain just outside Forfar, with views that stretch across Angus and beyond once you've earned the summit. It's not a technical climb - more of a solid moorland hike that rewards effort without demanding mountaineering experience.

The path winds through open country, and on a clear day the visibility is genuinely impressive. You get a real sense of scale up there, the kind of perspective that makes the everyday world feel smaller. Allow a couple of hours return from the car, depending on fitness. The terrain is rough underfoot in places, so proper boots aren't optional.

Walkers and hill-bagging types will find this worthwhile. Families with older kids might manage it fine, but younger ones could find the moorland landscape a bit bleak and featureless. There's no quick turnaround option either - you're committed once you've started.

It works brilliantly as part of a wider Highland exploration. If you're based at Greenhillock Glamping or The Grange just down the road, Cairnconon makes an excellent half-day activity that won't eat into your schedule. The proximity to Forfar means you can sort supplies and a decent coffee beforehand, then get straight onto the hill. Best tackled in good weather - conditions can turn quickly on the exposed moorland, and in mist the navigation becomes considerably trickier.