Boathouse Wood

The woodland around Boathouse Wood near Laurencekirk is the sort of place you stumble into rather than plan for, and that's exactly its appeal. It's a genuine working forest - Forestry Commission managed - where the paths wind through proper thick Aberdeenshire woodland, all Scots pine and spruce with a decent scattering of older broadleaf mixed in. The 'boathouse' part refers to what's left of a Victorian folly by a small loch, though honestly the structure itself is fairly unremarkable. What matters is the walk itself.

This is brilliant for anyone who wants a straightforward forest ramble without the faffing about with visitor centres or paying for car parks. The network of trails suits families with older kids and regular walkers equally well - nothing too technical, nothing mind-blowingly dramatic, just solid woodland walking. Allow an hour or two depending on how far you fancy going. The ground can be boggy in places, so decent boots are worth the effort.

It works perfectly as a half-day break from Royal Arch Riverside Park just down the road in Laurencekirk. Rather than another theme park or visitor attraction, this is the kind of spot where you actually remember being outside. Go mid-week if you can - weekends draw the usual joggers and dog-walkers, but you'll have patches of genuine quiet. Winter's actually lovely here - muddy but manageable, and you see more wildlife without the summer crowds.