Hawkhillock

The walk up Hawkhillock is straightforward enough, though the views from the top justify the effort far more than the climb itself demands. You're looking at a modest peak in Aberdeenshire, best tackled from Inverurie direction, with enough of a rise to make your legs work without requiring technical kit or proper mountaineering sense.

What makes it worth the trip is the plateau when you get there. On a clear day the Highlands sprawl out properly, and you can trace the land rolling away towards the Cairngorms. It's the kind of walk that appeals to families comfortable with a couple of hours on their feet, or anyone wanting a straightforward hill without the altitude drama. The terrain isn't demanding - moorland and established paths, nothing slippery or exposed.

Go in the morning if you can. Afternoon mist rolls in fast up here, and it transforms from cracking viewpoint to visibility-zero slog rather quickly. An hour and a half up, forty minutes down if you're not dawdling. Take water. The wind can bite even when it's mild lower down.

If you're based at Glamping Bothie nearby, this works as a solid half-day outing without needing to venture hours into the high country. It's honest hillwalking rather than spectacular - decent value if you're in Aberdeenshire already, but not the sort of thing you'd plan a whole trip around. Fair play though, some walkers prefer this to the overblown tourist peaks.