Easthill Stone Circle

A handful of weathered stones standing in open moorland near Auchterarder - that's Easthill Stone Circle, and it's genuinely worth the short detour if you're staying at one of the nearby parks. The circle itself isn't vast or dramatically intact like some of the more famous sites, but there's something rather moving about standing where Bronze Age people gathered thousands of years ago, with nothing much changed around you except the sky.

You're looking at a proper archaeological site here, not a tourist trap. The stones are modest in height but their arrangement speaks to real purpose and planning. History types will appreciate the quietness of it - no crowds, no gift shop, just the circle and the landscape. Walkers passing through the area often stumble on it by accident, which rather sums up its appeal. Kids might find it interesting for twenty minutes or so, though without interpretation boards you'll need to do the storytelling yourself.

Access appears to be free and unrestricted, though there's nothing formal about visiting - no facilities, no car park to speak of. Allow half an hour if you're making a specific trip, longer if you're combining it with a moorland walk. The nearest base would be Alexander House in Perthshire, just 2.3 miles away, or Greenhill Farm Glamping if you want something a touch more special. It's the kind of stop that rewards people who aren't rushing, the sort of place you photograph at odd light and remember more fondly than the bigger, busier sites.