Scottish heritage gets a boost in Seachd: The Inaccessible Peak, but more than that, it's a poignant ode to storytelling. Angus Peter Campbell stars as Granddad who is endlessly imparting traditional folktales to his sceptical grandson Aonghas (Padruig Morrison). They're the sort of bedtime stories brimming with magic and mysticism that demand a roaring fire and a tartan blanket. But whilst the film can feel like an overlong toffee commercial, it's easy to get swept up in the romance.

At the heart of the story is Aonghas' need to come to terms with his parents' death. They perished whilst climbing the Inaccessible Peak, a tower of rock in the Cuillin mountain range that is permanently shrouded in fog, and the mystery of many Aonghas who came before. Granddad urges Aonghas to be proud of his name and reinforces his sense of identity with moralistic fables about the olde worlde magicians and adventurers who form an essential part of his background.

"WHIMSICAL AND SOOTHING"

The hard facts of life (and death) are set in contrast to a whimsical and soothing philosophy of life. But there's a touch of wink-wink humour as well, like the story of castaway MacDonald who becomes the world's first chip shop owner. "What is it with the Scottish and fried food?" inquires the Spanish nobleman who introduces MacDonald to the potato. The best of Scotland is also on show, however, with rugged vistas bathed in soft light enhancing that fairytale ambience. And the decision by director Simon Miller to shoot the film in Gaelic lends weight to the ancient stories. It's a shame we don't see Aonghas' relationship with mum and dad before their passing, because his little acts of rebellion and final ascent to the Inaccessible Peak don't have much emotional wallop without them. It's not an epic journey; more like a pleasant ramble.

In Scottish Gaelic with English subtitles.

Seachd: The Inaccessible Peak is out in the UK on 5th October 2007.