Carn Eag Dhubh

The walk up Carn Eag Dhubh isn't long, but it's steep enough that you'll feel it in your legs before you reach the summit. The peak sits just outside Ballater in Aberdeenshire, one of those Scottish hills that doesn't announce itself loudly but rewards you properly once you're up there. The views across the Dee Valley are excellent - on a clear day you can see right across the Cairngorms. It's the sort of walk that takes two to three hours round trip, depending on fitness and how much time you spend messing about at the top.

Walkers will get the most from this one. It's genuine hill country without being serious alpine stuff - the kind of outing that makes you feel like you've earned a pub lunch in Ballater afterwards. Families with older kids will manage fine, though younger children might find the gradient tedious. The path is well-established if a bit rough in places, and you'll likely have the hillside to yourself even in peak season, which is rather the point.

If you're staying at Braemar Caravan Park nearby, this sits nicely into a week of exploring the Deeside hills. Carn Eag Dhubh works well as a morning walk before moving on to somewhere lower and easier in the afternoon. There's no visitor infrastructure at the summit itself - bring water and weather-appropriate kit - but that's part of the appeal. It's straightforward hill walking without the faffing about.