Creag nan Eun

The walk up Creag nan Eun starts gently enough, but don't be fooled - this peak near Inverness demands respect and proper kit. It's a proper hill, not a stroll, and the climb gets serious once you're committed. The reward, though, is genuinely worth the effort: views across the Great Glen that stretch for miles, with Loch Ness glinting below and the mountains rolling away in every direction.

Most people tackle it as a half-day outing from Inverness itself, which sits just a handful of miles away. You're looking at a couple of hours up, maybe ninety minutes down if your knees are kind. The path can be boggy in places - this is the Highlands, after all - so waterproof boots aren't optional. Summer gives you the best conditions, though midges can be fierce on still days.

Walkers will love it. Families with older kids can manage the ascent, but younger ones might find it exhausting. If you're based at Loch Ness Holiday Park or Inver Coille Camping just down the road, it's a brilliant day trip that actually justifies the drive north. Loch Ness Shores, the larger site at 4 miles away, works equally well as a launching point.

Skip it if you're after an easy ramble or if the weather's genuinely foul - visibility vanishes in cloud here, and navigation gets tricky. On a clear day, though, this is exactly why people come to the Scottish Highlands.