UKH

We're visiting Garve for a week at the end of July, then the following week going to Dalnabreac, west of Fort William. My 7 year old daughter has completed up to 11 mile walks before on fairly rough ground in the Lakes and Dales. I'd love to introduce her to some great hill walks in the Highlands, ideally around the 6-8 mile mark. We'll be happy to drive around 1 hour to get to the start of the walk but obviously closer is better. Not particularly motives by bagging but views would be good. Please can anyone make some recommendations. Many thanks.

The Walkhighlands website is a very useful compendium of walks of different distances and degrees of difficulty. 

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/

When considering driving times, particularly for your second week, do remember that many of the roads are narrow and windy, so you won't get anywhere very quickly. 

From Garve, Ben Wyvis is the obvious Munro which should be within the capabilities of your daughter, and in good weather it does have good views.

While you are in Garve, don't forget that you are not far from Chanonry Point, which is noted for its regular dolphin sightings, although when I was there in May, there was a) no sign of any wildlife and b) a biting wind which was cold enough to stop us lingering very long. 

Thanks Harry. Before our daughter arrived we were fortunate to see the dolphins surprisingly close to the shore at Chanonry point, hopefully our daughter will see them this time round. I've got the walks from Walk Highlands, wondered if anyone had personal recommendations for particularly good routes with kids. We'll be sure to do Ben Wyvis. Many thanks. 

50 mins west of Garve is a great mountain walk at the NNC site three miles beyond Kinlochewe. The car park is on the Loch Maree side (N) of the main road and the path goes under the road and then does a circuit of the hill. Grand views although you don’t get to a summit, but you could if you wanted to. Allow three hours, so good for a half or doubtful day. I suggest doing the walk clockwise, but we’ve done it both ways with our daughter. And yes, Wyvis would be a good choice too.

Have fun, David

From Garve: 

Fionn Bheinn (for another easy Munro), Beinn Enaglair, Sail Mhor, Sgurr na Diollaid. Some of the Coigach hills are just about within the hour's drive - e.g. Stac Pollaidh, Cul Mor, Cul Beag - smallish hills don't come better than those!  

From Dalnabreac: 

Ben Hiant, Ben Resipol, Garbh Bheinn. 

Agree with the comments from HJ and DM. The WalkHighlands site has details of loads of walks all over Scotland ranging from gentle strolls to mountain ascents, with good descriptions and photos.

The Beinn Eighe Mountain Trail that DM mentions is excellent and although, as noted, you don't get to a top, it is still a great walk.

Dave

We have kids around that age and live locally (at present). It's not so much the distance you have to think about, as ascent and terrain. There's Lake District rough, and then Wester Ross rough, and the two are usually very different things.

There have been loads of good child-friendly suggestions within an hour's drive already, many of which we have Route Cards for (to offset the Walkighlands advertising!)

Ben Wyvis... bit of a plod for kids but the path is largely good and well-drained, and it has the advantage of being 5 mins drive from Garve https://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=1325

Stac Pollaidh https://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=87 (minus the final scramble to the true high point, which is not child friendly but too short to carry a rope for)

Meall a' Ghiubhais (the Beinn Eighe NNR mountain trail loop gets you to half height, and from there the summit is a more or less path-free optional leg - well worth it if your daughter is moving well) https://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=141 

In that vicinity I'd add Beinn a' Chearcaill to the list because the summit area is unique and the view's pretty amazing. But the caveat is that it's a fair bit harder underfoot than Meall a' Ghiubhais so don't be fooled by the smaller summit height https://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=1303

If you want an impressive Torridon Munro and your daughter is OK on steep scree (it's short lived) then the standard route up and back down Beinn Eighe's Spidean Coire nan Clach is only a few hours round trip. A fuller circuit of the second Munro on Beinn Eighe and Coire Mhich Fhearchair is only worth considering on a nice day if you start early and she has plenty still in the tank after the first Munro... it's way way longer and once you've embarked on that leg there's no sensible shortcut if she flags.  

For shorter hill days with maximum impact per metre, you really can't beat the Gairloch minis. An Groban is the best of them, and there's loads of optional slabby scrambling all over it if she likes that sort of thing. Meall Aundray is a very quick hit from the road. Or head up the Tollaidh track from near Poolewe and you've a number of mini summits - a good one is the obvious sharp rock peak about 3km from the road (I'm not sure it has a name - spot height 327m). Sithean Mor and the 'fairy lochs' is a great mini circuit, and worth visiting the WW2 crash site while up there.

I wouldn't recommend Fionn Bheinn for kids because it's a long ascent on dull ground, and very boggy - in my experience young'uns need variety and excitement in their immediate surroundings, not just distant views.

Fair comment!  Some of my other suggestions (Sail Mhor, Sgurr na Diollaid) have rough pathless terrain, so may not be the most suitable. 

Very good suggestion about An Groban etc. 

I have also seen very young kids do fine on Tom na Gruagaich (Beinn  Alligin). 

Another vote for Ben Hiant.

If it's a clear day day on Ardnamurchan, Ben Hiant I'd a cracking hill. Nice coastal location and accessable from the high point on the road. There's a few spaces to park on the road plus a path, not shown on the 1:50k or 1:25k maps to the top.