Caple Hill

The walk up Caple Hill from Huntly takes about an hour, give or take depending on your fitness and how many times you stop to catch your breath. It's not a particularly dramatic peak - no dramatic granite tors or anything - but the views across Aberdeenshire really do open up once you're up there, especially on a clear day when you can see proper distances.

The ascent itself is straightforward enough. Paths are well-trodden, though muddy sections aren't uncommon after rain. You'll pass through moorland with gorse and heather, and the surrounding countryside has that rolling, working-landscape feel that characterises much of the northeast Highlands. On the top itself, there's enough space to sit with a flask and take stock.

It's the sort of hill that appeals to casual walkers rather than serious hillbaggers - local people pop up here regularly, and families with older kids find it manageable without being a slog. The reward-to-effort ratio is decent, though don't expect mountain drama. Winter can be brutal with exposure to wind, so autumn and spring tend to work better.

If you're based at Huntly Castle Holiday Park, this makes a proper morning activity before lunch in town. You're close enough that it's a no-fuss outing, and it gives you a genuine sense of the landscape rather than just driving through it. The town of Huntly itself has enough character to make a wider day of it - castle, decent pubs, reasonably good facilities.