Five Cairns

The walk up to Five Cairns from Ballater takes you through proper Highland scenery - moorland that shifts from green to purple depending on the season. It's not a dramatic summit, but that's rather the point. The cairns themselves are modest stone piles, nothing flashy, but they mark a genuine viewpoint where you can see across to the Grampians on a clear day.

Once you're up there, the landscape opens out properly. You get Deeside stretching below, and on a good afternoon the light catches everything just right. The walk is manageable for families with older kids - not so steep that you'll hate yourself halfway, but enough of a climb to feel like you've earned the view. Reckon on an hour and a half to two hours there and back depending on how long you linger at the top.

This works well if you're based at Braemar Caravan Park and after something less exhausting than one of the bigger peaks. It's the sort of place where you can actually stand still for ten minutes without your legs complaining. Bring layers - the wind can cut through even when the valley feels calm, and weather changes quickly up here. No facilities to speak of, so bring water and something to eat. Free, obviously. Early morning gives you clearer views and fewer midges if you're going in summer.