Cairn Guish

The walk up Cairn Guish is straightforward enough - nothing too gnarly - but the views across Aberdeenshire's rolling landscape are genuinely impressive once you've crested the top. It's a proper Highland hill without the dramatic peaks you get further west, which means the approach is more forgiving than you'd expect and the moorland around it feels genuinely wild.

You're looking at roughly 90 minutes up and the same back down from Keith, depending on your pace and how often you stop to catch your breath. The terrain is mixed - grassy slopes, some rougher heather sections - and it's the sort of walk that feels like proper exercise without being punishing. On a clear day, you can see right across to the Cairngorms in the distance, which alone makes the slog worthwhile.

Histor types might find the local stone circles and ancient sites scattered around Aberdeenshire more gripping than the hill itself, though walkers will appreciate this as a solid half-day outing. It's best tackled from late spring through early autumn when the moorland isn't waterlogged - February onwards, the ground can be properly boggy.

If you're based at Hillside Havens nearby, this makes an easy morning excursion before settling back for lunch. It won't exhaust you, but it's real enough that you'll feel like you've done something. Not a major draw on its own, but a cracking little addition to a broader Aberdeenshire walking itinerary.