Scotland the best
Hill walking without all the huffing and puffing – Scotland has many mountains with easier ascents
Càrn Aosda
Very accessible, starting from Glenshee Ski car park; follow ski tow up. Ascent only 270m of 917m, so bag a Munro in an hour. Easier still, take chairlift to Cairnwell, take in peak behind and then Càrn Aosda – and you’re doing three Munros in a morning (cheating, but hey). Another easy (500m climb) Munro nearby is Carn an Tuirc from the A93.
Ben Lawers
The massif of seven summits near Killin, including six Munros that dominate the north side of Loch Tay, linked by a 12km twisting ridge that only once falls below 800m. If you’re fit, you can do the lot in a day starting from the N or Glen Lyon side. Have an easier day of it knocking off Beinn Ghlas then Ben Lawers from the Lawers car park, three miles off the A827. Four/five hours.
Ben Wyvis
Standing apart from its northern neighbours, you can feel the presence of this mountain from a long way off. North of main A835 road Inverness–Ullapool and very accessible from it, park four miles north of Garve (30 miles from Inverness) and follow marked path by stream and through the shattered remnants of what was once a forest (replanting in progress). Leave the dereliction behind; the summit approach is by a soft, mossy ridge. Magnificent 1,046m.
Beinn Alligin
Great Torridon trek. Start at NTS Countryside Centre on corner of Glen Torridon-Diabaig road. Car park by bridge on road to Inveralligin and then Diabaig, where there’s a brill wee bistro, the Gille Brighde. Walk through woods over moor by river. Steepish pull up on to the Horns of Alligin. You can cover two Munros in a circular route that takes you across the top of the world. 985m. Then you could tackle Liathach (trickier); Beinn Eighe, also from a start on Glen Torridon road (probably easiest).