Sunday 29th October 2017. An ascent of three hills on the western side the Rubha Mor peninsula, near Aultbea, Rosshire. 7.3km with 305m of ascent. 2hrs 40mins.

The hills were Meall an t-Slagain 125m/39m, Beinn Dearg Mhor 159m/101m and Creag an Fhithich Mor 121m/c.28m.

I had moved from the Stoer Peninsula for my second week in Scotland, joining the family in a fine modern house in Mellon Charles on the Rubha Mor Peninsula. The drive south in the car with a damaged wheel had been somewhat tense and I had resolved not to use the vehicle again, except to limp to Inverness to effect the necessary repairs.

Therefore a trek direct from the house was required, and the weather and nearby hills looked inviting. The local terrain was 'cnocan lochan' - a term used to describe an expanse of Scottish moorland studded with small lochs and rugged little hills. A round of the hills encircling Loch an Fhithich appealed. I made my way up to the end of a lane above the village, over a fence and out onto the open moor. Following a small burn north, I reached Loch an Fhithich in a little while - a beautiful place on this fine autumn day. Using sheep tracks, I worked my way round the western shore, across a narrow neck of land between this loch and the neighbouring Loch na Sgaireag Beag and up to my first little summit at 125m. The view from here was a little disappointing due to the flat nature of the summit area.

Following more sheep tracks, I worked my way north-east to the northern tip of Loch na Leirg, and then east towards the rugged outline of Beinn Dearg Mor, at 159m the highest summit on the peninsula. I scaled this hill by its steep north ridge. The summit was a fine place, with a notable cairn and a stunning panorama of sea and the principal mountain ranges of the North-West Highlands. I spent some time identifying and naming the summits.

Leaving this memorable little 'cnoc' I headed down its south ridge to Gleann Beinn Dearg, over a minor ridge, and down to the east shore of Lochan Gaineamhaich. To the south lay my third objective - the rugged twin-topped Creag an Fhithich Mor. I wove my way up to the summit through small crags. If anything, the view from here was even better than from the last summit. It was a place to linger.

From its summit, after visiting the western top, I dropped down west to a gate in the wall, and so back to the lane I had left earlier.

Although I love the high mountains best, there is much to see and explore in the lower hills - often quiet places that hardly ever witness the presence of even a single human being.