This is Britain’s most spectacular mountain range. Though small in stature – Sgurr Alasdair, the highest summit, is only 993m – the peaks are near-alpine in character, with knife-edge ridges, jagged pinnacles, scree-filled gullies and hectares of naked rock.

Although they are a paradise for experienced mountaineers, the higher reaches of the Cuillins are off limits to the majority of hikers. The good news is that there are also plenty of good low-level hikes within the ability of most walkers. There are two main bases for exploring: Sligachan to the north and Glenbrittle to the south.