Clashmach Hill

The walk up Clashmach Hill from Huntly rewards you with a proper panorama across Aberdeenshire's rolling moorland and distant Highland peaks. It's not a brutal slog - the ascent is steady rather than punishing, taking most people around an hour to reach the summit. From the top, you get sight lines across to the Cairngorms on a clear day, which makes the effort worthwhile.

This is a straightforward hill walk, nothing technical. Families with older kids will manage it fine. Younger ones might find it a bit relentless on the way up, but the views at the top usually feel like adequate compensation. The terrain underfoot is mostly grass and heather, so decent boots help on wet days.

Given it's a stone's throw from Huntly - you can be at the trailhead within minutes - it works brilliantly as a half-morning outing if you're staying at Huntly Castle Holiday Park nearby. Pair it with a walk round Huntly's own castle ruins to make a proper morning of it, then lunch in town. Don't expect crowds. This is the kind of hill that stays quiet even on decent weekends, which is half the appeal. Free to access, obviously. Spring through autumn is your best bet weatherwise, though autumn is particularly lovely when the heather's out.