Cawdor Castle and Gardens

The drive up to Cawdor Castle winds through proper Highlands countryside before you round a bend and there it is - a genuine medieval fortress with those distinctive round towers that look like something from a storybook. Built in 1454, it's the real deal, not some Victorian fantasy.

Inside, you get the full castle experience: rooms furnished as they'd have been lived in, tapestries, weaponry, the lot. The library is particularly good if you're into old books. Outside, the gardens are what really makes the visit worthwhile - walled gardens with herbaceous borders that show genuine seasonal variation, and mature woodland that gives the whole place proper character. The grass maze, if they still have it open when you visit, keeps younger visitors occupied for a solid hour.

This is absolutely worth the detour from Nairn, which is only a couple of miles away. It works brilliantly if you're basing yourself at Barrow Campsite nearby - the castle trip makes for a half-day out that doesn't require too much planning. Allow two to three hours if you want to see both the building and gardens without rushing. Families with kids aged six upwards will find it engaging; much younger and they'll hit a bit of a wall in the house itself.

Walking boots aren't essential but the grounds are uneven in places, so they help. Spring and early summer are your best bets weatherwise, though autumn brings excellent light through those old windows.