Creag Bhalg

The walk up Creag Bhalg from Ballater is steep enough to earn your lunch, but the payoff is a proper Highland viewpoint without the crowds you'd fight on Lochnagar. It's a modest peak by Scottish standards - nothing technical, just relentless climbing through moorland and rough ground that'll test your legs more than your scrambling skills.

The summit gives you sight lines across the Dee Valley, and on a clear day the views west towards the Cairngorms are excellent. Most people tackle it as a three-to-four hour round trip from Ballater itself, which means you're not burning an entire day. It's the sort of walk that rewards early starts - I'd gone up late afternoon once and spent the descent in fading light, wishing I'd planned better.

Families with teenagers who enjoy proper hillwalking will get something from this. Younger kids will find it tedious unless they're already keen walkers. The path is rough in places and there's genuine exposure on the ridge sections, so it demands a certain fitness level and sure-footedness. Walkers wanting a more serious outing than a park stroll but less commitment than Ben Macdhui will find their match here.

If you're based at Braemar Caravan Park just down the road, this works well as a day mission. Spring and early summer are best - the moorland's less waterlogged, and you'll see the glen properly lit. No fees, no booking, no nonsense. Just bring decent boots and weather-appropriate kit.