Eric Hendrie Park

Eric Hendrie Park sits just outside Mastrick in Aberdeenshire, a proper woodland reserve that punches above its weight if you're after a decent walk without the crowds. The trails wind through mixed forest and open moorland, so there's proper variation in what you're looking at rather than mile after mile of the same trees.

Walkers will get the most out of this - it's the sort of place where you can spend two to three hours and feel like you've actually done something, but it's not so vast that you get lost or knackered. The paths are reasonably well-marked, though bring decent boots if it's been wet. Families with older kids will be fine here; younger ones might flag after an hour or so unless they're keen on spotting wildlife.

The reserve is free to access, which is brilliant. There's parking on site, and you can turn up pretty much any time. Best visited in the shoulder seasons - spring for birdwatching, autumn for the light filtering through the trees. Summer can feel a bit thick with midges if you're unlucky.

If you're staying at Deeside Holiday Park just five miles away, this makes an easy afternoon trip. It's close enough that you can nip over without it eating your whole day, but proper enough that it feels like a real outing rather than pottering about the campsite. Not dramatic or Instagram-worthy, but that's precisely why it works - proper nature, not performance.