Braemar Playpark

The playpark sits right on the edge of Braemar, a working corner of the Highlands where the Dee valley opens up around you. It's a proper outdoor space rather than the plastic-and-rubber kind of thing you'll find in most towns - the sort of place where kids can actually run about without you watching them like a hawk the whole time.

You get woodland trails threading through the reserve, open grassland for kicking a ball around, and if you're lucky with the weather, decent views across towards the Cairngorms. The playground equipment itself is fairly basic - nothing fancy - but that's rather the point. Children seem to stay longer when they're not overstimulated by bright colours and electronic nonsense.

This works brilliantly if you're staying at Braemar Caravan Park just down the road. You can knock off a couple of hours here in the morning, let the kids burn energy, then head into Ballater afterwards for lunch or a look around. The walk itself takes maybe 20 minutes if you're not in a hurry, and you'll see the occasional red squirrel if you're quiet about it.

Go when it's dry underfoot - the paths can be boggy after rain, which makes it less appealing than it should be. Free entry, naturally. Worth a morning visit if you've got little ones, especially combined with a caravan base nearby. It's not the sort of place to plan your whole holiday around, but it's exactly what you need when you want something local and low-key.