MORE MEGA MINI MOUNTAINS

They’re not big and, technically, they might not even be mountains. But they are mega, because size isn’t everything…

Holyhead Mountain, Anglesey 220m SH218829

There are buildings in London that are taller than this mountain. But do they stand above rugged cliffs leading down to the Irish Sea? Can they offer views that include the Snowdonian range and stretch to Ireland on a clear day? Do they have the word ‘mountain’ in their title? No, they do not.

Castle Crag, Lake District 290m NY249159

An eccentric old man used to live in a cave under this peak. That doesn’t make it a mountain, but its crag-faced, tree-covered bulk, blocking the end of Borrowdale and providing a platform to one of the greatest views in the Lakes across Derwent Water, beats many a mountain with far less character.

Roseberry Topping, North Yorkshire 320m NZ579126

The ‘Matterhorn of Cleveland’ may be 4158m shy of its namesake, but it sure feels like a mountain when you’re standing on top of it, staring down the near vertical cliffs, absorbing the views that stretch to the horizon, and wrapping up against a cold easterly breeze blowing in from the Baltics.

An Sgurr, Isle of Eigg 393m NM463847

You need a boat to get here, are presented by seemingly impregnable vertical cliffs when you do, and once on the top you’re higher than anything for miles and miles around. With a vista that includes Skye, Rum and much of Scotland’s west coast, you’ll never feel more on top of the world.

Mam Tor, Peak District 517m SK127836

You can park within 100 vertical metres of Mam Tor’s summit, but that doesn’t make the ‘Shivering Mountain’ any less mountainous. The panorama from the top is one of the UK’s best, and from below its geologically active land-slipping façade adds an air of danger and presence.

Harter Fell, Lake District 649m SD218997

We’re approaching proper mountain altitude here, but this craggy fell gets by on more than metres alone. It has personality, and a mind-exploding view that includes Sca Fell, Scafell Pike, Broad Crag, Great End, Esk Pike, Bow Fell, Crinkle Crags, Morecambe Bay, the Irish Sea and the Isle of Man.