Meall an Fheadain

Meall an Fheadain sits just a mile or so outside Ullapool, which makes it one of those rare Scottish peaks that doesn't demand a full day's commitment. The walk up is straightforward enough - about 1,400 feet of climbing through moorland and rough grass - and the views from the top sweep across the Summer Isles and out towards the Atlantic. On a clear day, you can see all the way to the Hebrides.

It's a proper bothy hill rather than a dramatic scramble, so families with older kids will manage it without drama, though younger ones might find the last stretch tedious. The real payoff comes at the summit: the landscape opens up in a way that feels both vast and intimate. You're looking down at Ullapool's harbour, the loch spreading beneath you, and those wild northern horizons that make Highland walking worth the effort.

Allow three hours there and back, depending on your pace and how long you linger at the top. The ascent starts from near the town itself, so you're not driving deep into the wilderness. If you're camping at Port a Bhaigh Campsite - which sits right on the water just south of town - this works brilliantly as an afternoon climb. Leave early enough and you'll be back for a decent supper with the view still in your head. Weather changes fast up here, so check conditions before you head out. It's free to walk, obviously, and the best months are May through September when the moorland isn't boggy enough to ruin your boots.