Hill of Airlie

The walk up to Hill of Airlie from Keig takes about forty minutes if you're not dawdling, and it's a proper leg-burner in places. The hill itself sits at 1,300 feet with views that stretch across the Aberdeenshire countryside - when the cloud isn't sitting on top of it, which let's be honest, happens often enough in these parts. You get the old cairn at the summit and that particular feeling of having earned something, rather than just parked a car and wandered around.

For walkers, it's absolutely worth the afternoon. The track is well-maintained enough but steep enough to keep things interesting, and there's nothing fancy about it - no visitor centre, no café, no interpretation boards. Just you and the Grampians doing what they do. Families with older kids will manage fine; younger ones might struggle with the pace. It's free to access, which is refreshing.

If you're staying at Haughton Holiday Park just down the road, this makes a cracking half-day out. The park itself is solid for a Deeside base, and Airlie gives you something a bit different from the usual valley walks. Don't expect dramatic scenery - it's more about the rewarding climb and the sense of space once you're up there. Go when the weather's clear if you can. On a drizzly day it's just a slog up a wet hillside.