Cìochan a' Chiop

You won't find crowds on Cìochan a' Chiop, and that's precisely why it's worth the effort from Pitlochry. This modest peak sits just outside the main tourist drag, offering genuine views across Perthshire without the queues that plague Ben Vrackie. The walk itself is straightforward - nothing technical, nothing that demands mountaineering experience - but it does ask you to put in a solid couple of hours.

The summit reward is proper Highland scenery: rolling moorland, distant ridges, and on a clear day, enough of a vista to make the climb feel justified. It's the kind of place where you'll see maybe another pair of walkers, if that. Families with kids aged ten and up will manage it fine; anything younger and you're in carrying-over-terrain territory. The approach from near Pitlochry is direct enough that you're not navigating complex terrain, but there's proper ascent involved - it's not a gentle amble.

If you're based at one of the nearby parks - Glengoulandie or Parkdean Resorts' Tummel Valley operation aren't far - this makes a cracking half-day outing. Pair it with a visit to Pitlochry itself for supplies and coffee afterwards. The mountain's free to climb, obviously, and you'll need decent boots and a map; the weather up here changes quick enough that afternoon mist isn't unusual even in summer. Worth doing? Absolutely, if you want to tick off a proper Perthshire walk without fighting for a car park space.