Maol Meadhonach

Tucked away between Loch Katrine and the northern end of Loch Lomond, this 'Middle Hill' is often overlooked for its taller neighbors. It offers a masterclass in Scottish bog-navigation, rewarding the damp hiker with intimate views of the Arrochar Alps and the Trossachs' glistening waters.

• •The name translates from Gaelic as 'Middle Bald Hill,' a fittingly modest title for a peak that sits comfortably between the giants of the Arrochar Alps and the gentler Trossachs.
• •Despite its modest 604-meter stature, it provides one of the best perspectives on the complex topography of the Garrison at Inversnaid, an 18th-century fort built to control the local clans.
• •Its proximity to the Highland Boundary Fault means the rock beneath your boots is part of the ancient Dalradian Supergroup, though you’ll likely spend more time studying the moss than the metamorphic geology.
• •It is a prime spot for spotting feral goats, which frequent the rugged slopes above Inversnaid and generally look far more dignified navigating the crags than most human visitors.
• •For those obsessed with peak-bagging lists, this hill is a cruel tease; at 604.4 meters, it misses the 'Graham' status by less than six meters, leaving you with all the bog-water in your boots but none of the official bragging rights.