Downies Cairn

You'll find this Bronze Age cairn sitting on high ground just outside Tillydrone, a reminder that people were burying their dead here thousands of years before Aberdeen became a city. Downies Cairn is essentially a pile of stones marking an ancient grave - nothing fancy, but the fact it's still standing after four millennia says something about how our ancestors built things to last.

It's the sort of spot that appeals to history buffs and curious walkers more than families expecting entertainment. You're looking at maybe fifteen minutes here, wandering round the stones and taking in views across the Aberdeenshire landscape. No facilities, no interpretation boards that I could see - just you and the Bronze Age.

If you're staying at Seaview Caravan Park, it's only a few miles inland, making this an easy morning detour before heading back to the coast. The walk up isn't arduous, though the site itself is fairly exposed, so pick a day without sideways rain. Free to visit, naturally - there's nothing to pay and nowhere to pay it.

Worth the trip? Only if you're genuinely interested in archaeology or you're already in the area exploring. Don't expect crowds or grandeur. What you get is solitude and the genuine satisfaction of standing somewhere people deemed important enough to mark five thousand years ago.