Everyone flocks to the Quiraing or the Old Man of Storr, which is fair enough. But if you want the best view on Skye — and I mean the one you'll think about while doing your tax return months later — go south.

Sgùrr na Stri is a small hill by Skye standards, but what it lacks in height it makes up for in sheer drama. I started from Elgol, a scatter of white houses at the end of a long, sheep-strewn road. From there, it's a long, slow wander past Loch Coruisk, where the Cuillin rise like broken teeth from the water.

There's no real path for much of the route, just deer trails and blind hope. I picked my way across bogs, avoided at least three irate sheep, and eventually scrambled up a rocky shoulder to the summit.

The reward? The Cuillin range across the loch, jagged and black, reflected in still water below. Not a sound but the wind and the occasional gull having an existential crisis. I sat there longer than I meant to, finishing an oat bar I didn't remember packing.

On the way down I met a couple who'd arrived by boat and were loudly trying to read a map upside down. I gave them a nod and lied cheerfully about the weather ahead.

Trail Notes

• Start point: Elgol (or boat to Loch Coruisk if you're fancy)
• Time: 5–6 hours, depending on bog
• Terrain: Rough, wild, occasionally unclear
• Bring: Gaiters. And patience.