Not the highest point, but certainly the centrepiece of the Cairngorm mountains is Cairn Gorm Mountain (1245m; 4084 ft). It’s particularly popular thanks to a 1.5mile-long funicular up its flanks. When the snow’s good it’s busy with skiiers and boarders, while in summer it’s a popular, low-effort way of seeing the Highlands from above (on clear days!). The £15 million...

Skye’s own mountain range, The Cuillins, are about 8 miles (13km) long and rise almost 1000m (3,300ft) above the sea with about twenty serious peaks over 3,000ft (called Munros). The range divides into two pretty distinct sections. The Black Cuillins are a huge craggy mass that offer a real challenge to even hardcore climbers: their ultimate challenge is a two-day...