Buxie Wood

Walk into Buxie Wood and you're immediately swallowed by proper old-growth forest - the kind where the canopy is so thick you lose track of time. It's near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, and honestly, this is the sort of place that rewards a slow meander rather than a rushed circuit.

The woodland floor is soft underfoot, carpeted with moss and fallen needles. There's a real sense of wildness here - you'll spot red squirrels if you're lucky, and the birdsong alone makes the trip worthwhile. The paths wind through dense stands of pine and spruce, opening occasionally into clearings where you can actually see the sky again.

This is brilliant for anyone who wants to stretch their legs without committing to a full Highland hike. Families with primary-school-aged kids will get good mileage from it - there's enough variation to keep them engaged, though there's not much in the way of facilities or play equipment, so come prepared. Walkers after something gentle will find it therapeutic. Photography types will be clicking away at the light filtering through the branches.

You're looking at anything from forty minutes to two hours depending on which paths you fancy. It's free to wander, and there's usually decent parking nearby. The forest sits well alongside a broader park holiday - Upper Crawton Park and Cloak Caravan Park are both minutes away, and Stonehaven Queen Elizabeth Park is a bit further out. Between the woods and the coastal town of Stonehaven itself, you've got a proper base for a few days.