Duchery Beg

The walk up Duchery Beg from near Aboyne is straightforward enough, though calling it a 'peak' might be generous if you're coming from proper mountain country. That said, the views across Deeside are genuinely worth the leg work, and at around 700 metres, it's manageable for most fitness levels without needing technical gear.

The approach is moorland walking through heather and rough grass - the kind of terrain that rewards proper boots and a bit of weather sense. On a clear day you get sweeping views down the valley towards Aboyne itself, with the river bending through agricultural land. It's the sort of walk where you can spend a couple of hours and actually feel you've done something, without the full commitment of the bigger Cairngorms peaks further west.

Families with older kids will manage this fine; younger ones might find the bog a bit tedious. Serious walkers would probably file it under 'nice filler' rather than a destination in its own right. There's nothing at the summit itself - no cairn, no viewpoint structure - just space and silence.

If you're based at Aboyne Loch Caravan Park or Firbank Park, both just under four miles away, this makes a decent half-day outing. The walking season runs April through October really; winter can be boggy and grim. Free to walk, naturally, and you won't need more than three hours door-to-door. Worth pairing with a proper Deeside day rather than a standalone trip.