Blue Cairn Of Ladieswell stone circle (remains)

The Blue Cairn of Ladieswell is what's left of a Bronze Age stone circle tucked into the Aberdeenshire landscape near Aboyne. You'll find a handful of weathered stones standing in a rough circle - it's modest, honestly, but that's rather the point. These rocks have sat here for thousands of years, and there's something properly moving about that kind of longevity.

Walkers and archaeology enthusiasts will get the most from a visit. It's not a dramatic destination - no café, no visitor centre, no interpretive boards spelling everything out - which means you're left alone with your thoughts and the Highland quiet. Allow twenty minutes to half an hour, though you might linger longer if the mood takes you. It's free to visit, obviously, since there's nothing there to charge for.

The real value comes if you're based at one of the local camping spots. Tarland Camping & Caravanning Club Site is barely four miles away, and Cairngorms Glamping sits just across the valley. Both make excellent bases for exploring this stretch of Aberdeenshire, where stone circles and archaeological sites pepper the moorland like breadcrumbs from an ancient past. If you're combining this with a proper holiday rather than just a quick stop, Firbank Park offers another option at six miles out.

On a clear day with low light - early morning or late afternoon - the stones catch the landscape in a particular way. That's when you'll understand why people bothered to build this circle at all.