Ba'hill

The forest floor at Ba'hill is carpeted with moss so thick it swallows footfalls entirely. This is proper woodland walking - dense conifer plantation mixed with broadleaf, the kind of place where light filters down in green-tinted shafts and you genuinely lose track of time.

It's a working forest, managed by Forestry and Land Scotland, so don't expect manicured trails or waymarked loops. What you get instead is genuine seclusion, just a couple of miles south of Huntly. The woodland floor is relatively flat, making it accessible for family walks without the huffing uphill bits, though footwear with grip matters after rain.

History buffs might appreciate that this area of Aberdeenshire is thick with castles - Huntly Castle itself is worth a separate visit if you're staying at Huntly Castle Holiday Park nearby. The forest acts as a quiet counterpoint to all that grandeur.

Give yourself an hour minimum to feel you've actually been somewhere, two hours if you're the type to sit on a log and just listen. There's no visitor centre, car park is basic, and facilities are nonexistent. Bring water. Go on a dry day because the woodland holds moisture for days after rain.

Not a destination attraction in itself, but absolutely the sort of place that makes a park holiday feel less like sitting in a field and more like you're actually exploring the Highlands. Worth the detour if you're based in Huntly.