Meall Odhar

The walk up Meall Odhar from Killin is one of those climbs that feels proper steep for the first twenty minutes, then suddenly opens up into something really rewarding. You're looking at a Ben Lawers outlier - rocky, windswept, with views that stretch across Loch Tay and down toward the Trossachs when the cloud cooperates.

It's a hill rather than a mountain, but don't let that fool you. The ascent takes most people three to four hours return, depending on fitness and how much time you spend at the top photographing the Perthshire landscape. The path starts rough and gets rougher, so proper boots are non-negotiable. Weather can shift in minutes up here - take a waterproof even if the forecast looks promising.

This one's for walkers who know what they're doing. Families with young kids will struggle; the terrain doesn't forgive lazy footwork. But if you've got teenagers with decent hiking experience, or you're a keen hillwalker after a solid morning's graft, Meall Odhar delivers. It's also quieter than Ben Lawers itself, which sits just across the glen.

Stay in or near Killin and combine it with Loch Tay Highland Lodges & Glamping Park or Loch Earn Leisure Park if you want proper base camps for the area. Both give you access to the broader Ben Lawers range and the loch-side walks that make this corner of Perthshire so worth the trip. Go early, bring water, and don't underestimate the wind at altitude.