Fetteresso Parish Church

The kirkyard sits on a gentle slope just outside Stonehaven, and you'll spot the modest stone church before you realise you've properly arrived. Fetteresso Parish Church dates back centuries - the current building is 18th century, though the site itself goes much further back - and it's the sort of place that rewards a quiet twenty-minute wander rather than demanding your full afternoon.

Inside, it's austere in the way Scottish churches often are: whitewashed walls, simple wooden pews, the sort of space that feels genuinely used rather than museum-fied. The kirkyard itself is the real draw for most visitors - old gravestones tucked among the grass, some dating back further than you'd expect, with that particular melancholy charm graveyards have when they're well-kept but not obsessively manicured.

This works best if you're already in Stonehaven for the seaside - it's a natural add-on to an afternoon exploring the harbour rather than a destination in itself. History buffs will appreciate the longevity of the site, while walkers can easily loop it into a larger route around the town. It's free to visit, and you can usually get in during daylight hours, though there's no formal opening times posted.

If you're camped at Stonehaven Queen Elizabeth Park - just half a mile away - it's barely a ten-minute walk. Upper Crawton Park and Cloak Caravan Park are also close enough for an easy morning visit before moving on to Dunnottar Castle or the coastal paths that make this stretch of Aberdeenshire worth the drive.