Cock Cairn

The walk up Cock Cairn isn't long, but it's proper steep - the kind of climb that leaves you breathing hard after twenty minutes. This modest peak sits near Aboyne in Aberdeenshire, and the summit cairn rewards the huffing with genuinely good views across the Deeside valley. On a clear day you can see for miles across heather moorland and forest, south towards Balmoral country.

It's the sort of hill that suits walkers who want a proper exertion without spending half the day hiking. An hour to ninety minutes covers the whole thing, up and back. Families with older kids will manage it fine - the young ones might grumble on the way up, but the views tend to quieten them. Don't expect crowds, which is the real appeal. If you're staying at Firbank Park nearby, this is exactly the kind of local walk that means you needn't drive anywhere.

Weather matters here more than most Scottish peaks. I'd hit it on a dry day or you'll be trudging through bog. Spring and early summer work best when the days are long and the midges haven't fully arrived. Parking is simple enough off the minor roads around Aboyne.

Not a trophy summit, but it's the sort of walk that locals know and visitors miss - which suits everyone fine.