Berrybrae Stone Circle

The stones stand exactly where they were placed some 4,500 years ago, which is the kind of thing that stops you dead when you're actually standing there. Berrybrae Stone Circle sits on moorland just outside Mintlaw in Aberdeenshire, a proper Bronze Age monument that most visitors to the region will drive straight past without knowing it exists.

There are nine stones in total, weathered and moss-covered, arranged in a rough circle. What makes it different from the more famous sites you'll find in Scotland is the complete lack of crowds and fencing. You can walk right up to them, touch the rocks, sit down and just be quiet for a bit. The setting is bleak and windswept - bring a jacket even in summer - but that's exactly the point. This is ancient landscape, largely unchanged.

It's worth allowing an hour if you're the contemplative type. Walkers and history enthusiasts will get more from it than young kids, who might find twenty minutes of stone-gazing enough. There's nothing else on site - no café, no visitor centre, no interpretation boards - which you either love or find a bit disappointing.

If you're staying at Aden Caravan & Camping six miles away, it's an easy visit to slot between beach trips and exploring the northeast coast. Free to visit, obviously, since there's nobody manning the place. Just go respectfully and leave it as you found it.