Cunliffe Ball

The grassy mound that rises near Aboyne isn't much to look at first glance - just a gentle earthwork in the Scottish landscape - but Cunliffe Ball is genuinely worth the small detour if you're staying in the area. It's an Iron Age fort, though honestly you won't see dramatic stone walls or anything theatrical. What you get is the chance to stand where people stood over two thousand years ago, which hits differently once you realise what you're looking at.

The site itself is straightforward - a circular earthwork with clear defensive ditches, best appreciated from ground level as you walk around it. There's something quite affecting about the simplicity of it. Bring decent footwear because the ground can be boggy even when it looks dry. Most people spend twenty minutes to half an hour here, taking photos and working out the layout. Kids might lose interest quickly unless they're already keen on archaeology - it's not a scramble-about kind of place.

If you're based at Firbank Park or Aboyne Loch Caravan Park, this is a solid morning walk that justifies getting out of the caravan. The nearest town of Aboyne sits only a few miles away, so it's easy to combine with a coffee stop or lunch. There's no admission charge as far as we could establish, and no facilities on site, so come prepared. Best visited outside the wettest months if you can manage it - the Aberdeenshire weather has strong opinions about mud.