Baudy Meg

The walk up Baudy Meg is a proper grind, but the view from the top makes it worthwhile if you're staying in the Aboyne area. This isn't a dramatic Highland peak - it's a rounded hill that sits modestly above the Deeside valley, offering wide views across Aberdeenshire that stretch on for miles on a clear day.

Getting there from Aboyne takes about forty minutes on foot, depending on your fitness and the path conditions. The approach is straightforward enough, though the final push is steep enough to remind your legs why you paid for that holiday park. Once you're up there, you get proper 360-degree views: the Cairngorms to the west, the agricultural flatlands to the east, and on a good day, you can pick out features you've no chance of naming.

Walkers will find it a satisfying half-day outing, especially families with kids old enough to manage the climb without constant moaning. It's not a technical scramble - just persistent uphill slog. History types won't find much to get excited about here; this is purely about the walking and the vistas.

If you're based at Firbank Park or Aboyne Loch Caravan Park, Baudy Meg works well as a break from the lowland parks and gives you a taste of proper Highland terrain without committing to a full day in the mountains. Go early to avoid the afternoon wind that can kick up quite fiercely. Allow three hours return, including a breather at the top.