In a stunning turn of events that nobody saw coming, a writer who showed up to volunteer in the Scottish Highlands expecting to hate every minute of it instead found the experience 'surprisingly rewarding.' The horror.

Our brave protagonist, armed with a bucket and spade (not for the beach, tragically), joined the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland (Oats) for a two-day stint repairing hiking paths on Stac Pollaidh, the most visited peak in the north-west Highlands. There, ankle-deep in blanket bog, he hacked at the terrain with a heavy-duty mattock, unblocked a cross drain, and repacked it with new stonework to prevent storm damage. The resulting burble of clear water across sparkling bedrock gave him the same feeling as appreciating a masterwork in a museum. Yes, a drain. A masterpiece. We'll allow it.

The trust, which serves as steward for many of the Highlands' most famous mountains, sweetened the deal with a free stay at Ullapool youth hostel and a promise of a home-cooked communal meal. The midge-free forecast sealed the deal, sending our writer driving north from Edinburgh in a 'buoyant mood.'

So, in a plot twist as predictable as a bagpipe rendition of 'Amazing Grace,' the volunteer found that doing something good for the hills made him feel good too. Who knew? The hills, apparently.