Gathering Cairn

The walk up Gathering Cairn near Aboyne rewards you with a proper Highland vista that justifies the effort. It's not a tough climb, but it's steady enough that you'll feel like you've earned the view when you reach the stone cairn at the summit. From up there, the Dee Valley spreads out below you, and on a clear day you can see for miles across Aberdeenshire's rolling terrain.

This is walker territory, though the route suits anyone with reasonable fitness. The cairn itself is modest - a simple pile of stones, nothing fancy - but that's rather the point. You're here for the landscape, not the monument. Families with older kids will manage it fine; younger ones might find the walk a bit much depending on their legs.

You can access it free, naturally. Allow a couple of hours there and back depending on your pace. Early morning or late afternoon light transforms the walk into something proper special, so time it for golden hour if you can.

If you're based at Ballater Caravan Park - just five and a half miles away - this makes an ideal half-day excursion that won't eat your whole day. It pairs well with exploring Aboyne itself and the wider Royal Deeside area. The walk isn't so demanding that you'll be wiped out afterwards, which means you could easily combine it with a visit to one of the local distilleries or a wander through the village.