Scottish Hills – Bigger Isn’t Always Better

After Corbetts you get Grahams, and at the current count, there are 219 of them. Why Grahams are called Grahams gets pretty convoluted, but they were originally roughly defined as lesser Corbetts, and then more definitions came into play like Donalds (lowland hills that exceed 2,000 feet) and Marilyns (hills in the British Isles above 450 feet). There is a wonderfully confusing list of mountains and hills in the British Isles on Wikipedia that you should check out if you’re really interested. The Grahams list published in 1997 by the Scottish Mountaineering Society was collated by Alan Dawn and Fiona Torbet (née Graham). Beinn Talaidh on the Isle of Mull is the highest Graham whilst the unnoteworthy Beinn a’Mheadhoin in Glen Affric claims the title of the smallest Graham. Someone who reaches the summits of all 2019 Grahams is called a Grahamist and there are over 200 official completers.

Here we’ve gathered 6 of our favourite Grahams, a tough job with so many great hills to choose from. We think these offer the best balance between hillwalking fun and the best views.

Before heading out into the hills, even smaller ones, always check the conditions, we recommend the Mountain Weather Information Service for the most up to date and accurate information. Also, ensure you’re prepared for your adventure with the right clothing, kit and navigation accessories.

Stac Pollaidh

Where: Assynt
Height: 2,000 feet / 612 meters
Difficulty: Easy

Stac Pollaidh is just a belter of a walk – and so short! A popular 5km circular route takes you round the hill, up and down the ridge and round the other side in around 2-4 hours. The paths are clear, but steep and can be a bit loose due to weathering. There are other ways up, with more direct paths on both sides of the ridge but people are encouraged to stick to the main path to minimise erosion. Most walkers will be satisfied with reaching the lowest point of the ridge, the views are truly epic with Stac Pollaidh’s neighbouring mountains rising starkly out of the flat coastal landscape. If you want to reach the true summit of the hill, you’ll need to do a bit of advanced scrambling so tread with caution. We include an ascent of Stac Pollaidh on our Wilds of Assynt trip.

Walking Descriptions

The Pap of Glencoe / Sgorr na Ciche

Where: Glencoe
Height: 2,434 feet / 742 meters
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

The Pap of Glencoe provides a varied walk with some seriously steep sections and rewarding views. It’s is a great hill to spend half a day on. It sits at the western end of the Aonach Eagach ridge and above Loch Leven, so the summit is a prime spot for admiring the majesty of the surrounding valleys and mountain ranges. Pack your lunch to eat here as you’ll want to spend a bit of time enjoying the full 360 of beauty around you. The there and back again nature of the walk isn’t a punishment as the views in either direction are great. The final bit to the top is very rocky but an easy and unexposed scramble. Although it’s just a wee hill compared to its towering neighbours, it’s not to be underestimated. The path is eroded and can get slippy in wet weather.

Walking Descriptions

Marsco

Where: Isle of Skye
Height: 2,414 feet / 736 meters
Difficulty: Moderate

Marsco is an excellent peak in the Red Hills, usually admired from the Sligachan bridge. Often overlooked with more famous and bigger hills to bag nearby, its grassy and airy summit is a great spot for admiring the rest of the Cuillins and the dramatic ridgeline of Sgùrr nan Gillean. Marsco is often described as one of the best Grahams in Scotland. The most popular route is through Glen Sligachan and following the Allt na Measarroch upstream.

Walking Descriptions

Ben Venue

Where: Loch Lomond & the Trossachs
Height: 2,391 feet / 729 meters
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

There are various excellent peaks in the Trossachs but one of our favourites is Ben Venue. It’s got all the ingredients of a great day out with great views and varied walking that’s challenging enough to keep it interesting. Ben Venue is most frequently walked from either from Loch Achray or Ledard Farm. Your efforts to the top are rewarded with fantastic views (weather permitting) of Loch Katrine and the neighbouring Ben A’an, Ben More and Ben Lomond.

Walking Descriptions

Ben Cleuch

Where: The Ochills
Height: 2,365 feet / 721 meters
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Ben Cleugh is the highest of the Ochills and a great hill walk to do in Central Scotland. The Ochill’s used to serve as a natural boundary line, hindering easy travel between Fife and Stirlingshire. Most people ascend Ben Cleugh from Tillicoultry, but you can also do it from Alva. The views from the summit can be amazing if the weather plays along. To the north, you can see Ben Lomond, Ben Ledi as well as Ben Vorlich and Stùc a’ Chròin and to the south the Forth valley and maybe even the 3 bridges if you’re lucky. Please note that the area is dotted with wind turbines but they don’t impede the view too much. Fun fact, Ben Cleugh is also a Donald, a hill in lowland Scotland that’s over 2,000 feet.

Walking Descriptions

The Storr

Where: Isle of Skye
Height: 2,352 feet / 717 meters
Difficulty: Moderate

The Storr is undeniably iconic. Looming above the Old Man of Storr, it’s featured in countless photographs. The steep cliffs contrast sharply with the grassy slopes below. Few choose to go all the way up the Storr. Most will visit the Old Man, the rocky pinnacle nearer to the bottom in an area called the Sanctuary and return. A full ascent rewards you with jaw-dropping views of the Old Man of Storr and the rest of the Trotternish Ridge. To summit you need to be comfortable going pathless and scrambling over rocky terrain. Depending on the group and weather we walk up to the Old Man of Storr and beyond on our Isle of Skye holiday and our trip to the Outer Hebrides & Skye.

Walking Descriptions

Last but certainly not least are the sub-2000 hills. These are the peaks in Scotland that sit between 150 meters / 492 feet and 609.6 meters / 2,000 feet. Sub-2000s appears to be a walkhighlands classification – as there isn’t really an official term for them. The closest thing would be a Marilyn – a term used across the British Isles to denote a peak with a prominence over 150 meters, regardless of any other factors such as height, isolation etc. However, following that description, every Graham, Corbett and Munro would also be a Marilyn. That’s rather confusing so we’re embracing this term too.

In a notoriously mountainous country, the wee hills we’ve listed here are just as rewarding as the meatiest Munro. These sub-2000ers are fantastic days out, with great views and scenery, and shouldn’t take up the whole day.

Before heading out into the hills, even smaller ones, always check the conditions, we recommend the Mountain Weather Information Service for the most up to date and accurate information. Also, ensure you’re prepared for your adventure with the right clothing, kit and navigation accessories.

An Sgùrr

Where: Isle of Eigg
Height: 1,289 feet / 393 meters
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Easily one of the finest hills in Scotland with unparalleled views. Sheer vertical drops grace Eigg’s impressive An Sgùrr on 3 sides, but you can easily reach the top from the fourth side on a wide broad ridge. The views are unobstructed and vast, looking out in all directions over the sea to the nearby islands, the hills of the mainland and Skye’s dramatic Cuillins. The Sgùrr is a result of an ancient lava flow that came from the volcano that used to be on the nearby Isle of Rum. There are more great walks on the small Isle of Eigg, like Laig Bay and the Singing Sands at Cleadale so if you’re a keen walker the trip over to the island is totally worth it. We often visit the Isle of Eigg and walk up An Sgùrr on our walking holiday based on the Knoydart Peninsula.

Walking Descriptions

Bennachie

Where: Aberdeenshire
Height: 1,735 feet / 529 meters
Difficulty: Easy

A local’s favourite, Bennachie is easily the most popular hill walk in Aberdeenshire. The highest point is Oxen Craig but the subsidiary peak Mither Tap (518m) is more famous with a bonus Iron age hillfort ruins at the summit. Bennachie strikes an iconic shape. It’s very prominent, as the rest of the area is relatively flat and Bennachie may remind a visitor of a woman lying down, with Mither Tap standing in for an ample bosom. There are several ways to climb Bennachie, there’s a long circuit, a direct approach taking in both peaks or the option to only do Oxen Craig or only Mither Tap. Watch out for red squirrels and roe deer on your way up. The views from both peaks are good, the area is surrounded by farmland, woodland and moors.

Walking Descriptions

Ben A’an

Where: Loch Lomond & the Trossachs
Height: 1,485 feet / 454 meters
Difficulty: Easy

Ben A’an has the most recognisable viewpoint of all the hills in Scotland, and its ease of access makes it a popular one. It’s a small hike with big rewards. The panoramic views are epic and the walk is easy and takes in woodland, moorland and craggy hillside. The rocky summit of Ben A’an looks like a whole mountain in itself and is often referred to as the mountain in miniature. From the top, you can see Loch Katrine, Ben Venue, Ben Lomond and Loch Achray. Meall Gainmheich is actually the parent peak of Ben A’an and the one you’ll find on the sub-2000 list, Ben A’an is actually just protrusion on this large moorland hill that’s unnotable and rarely walked in its entirety.

Walking Description

Dumyat

Where: The Ochills
Height: 1,371 feet / 418 meters
Difficulty: Easy

Much loved by local walkers and mountain bikers, Dumyat sits at the western end of the Ochills. It’s a cracking wee hill, and a great morning or afternoon explore if you’re in the area and looking for a satisfactory leg stretch. Dumyat has two summits, Castle Law to the southwest and the slight higher Dumyat proper to the northeast, and there are two popular routes to take in both. The paths up the hill are generally good but can get boggy. The views on the way up are just as good as they are from the summit, with clear days offering the Wallace Monument, Stirling Castle, Ben Lomond, Ben Vorlich, Ben Ledi and Ben Lawers as well as the Forth Valley.

Walking Descriptions

Sgurr na Stri

Where: Isle of Skye
Height: 1,630 feet / 497 meters
Difficulty: Moderate

Sgurr na Stri may be the ultimate best small hill in Scotland. Reaching the top is no easy feat, not because it’s exceptionally difficult but because it’s very isolated. You can take a boat into Loch Coruisk and ascend from there (we sometimes do this on our Isle of Skye and Knoydart Peninsula trip) or a long walk in from Glen Sligachan. Either way, it’s worth the effort. The views over Loch Coruisk, the sea and the Small Isles and the rest of the Cuillins are simply magnificent.

Walking Descriptions

North Berwick Law

Where: East Lothian
Height: 613 feet / 187 meters
Difficulty: Easy

The shortest hill we’ve included, North Berwick Law packs a punch. An ancient volcanic plug, it’s a very impressive canonical hill that looms above the lovely seaside town of North Berwick. The views are fantastic, and if weather permits you can gaze out over the coast, Bass Rock, the Pentlands, Arthur’s Seat and Edinburgh. Keep an eye out for the wild ponies that roam the hill, and the whale bone replica at the summit.

Walking Descriptions