Black Hill

The walk up Black Hill from Auchleven is straightforward enough, but the summit view across Aberdeenshire makes the effort worthwhile. It's not a massive peak - you're looking at something under 2,000 feet - but on a clear day the moorland spreads out properly, and you can pick out the Cairngorms in the distance if you're lucky with the weather.

Most walkers will take between an hour and ninety minutes to get up and back down, depending on fitness and how many times you stop to catch your breath or check the view. The path is well-trodden, which means it's muddy in places after rain - bring decent boots. There's a particular appeal for anyone doing a longer Aberdeenshire walking trip, especially if you're staying at Haughton Holiday Park nearby. It breaks up a day nicely without committing you to a full expedition.

This isn't a destination that'll hold your attention for hours. You're up, you look around, you come down. Kids will manage it fine if they're old enough for a proper walk, but it won't feel like a day out on its own. What makes it work is fitting it into a broader route or combining it with other spots in the area. The moorland itself has a raw, no-frills character - no viewpoint café, no facilities, just open ground and weather. That's either brilliant or dull depending on what you're after. Free to visit, obviously, since it's just a hill. Go when the forecast shows clear skies; there's little point in summiting into cloud.