Hill of Bogenhilt

The walk up to Bogenhilt rewards you with one of those views that stops you mid-stride. It's a proper Highland vantage point overlooking Aberdeenshire's rolling landscape, and from the summit you can clock the wider sweep of countryside that makes this corner of Scotland feel genuinely remote despite being well within reach of Banff.

It's not a long haul - the hill sits just outside the town, making it the sort of outing that works brilliantly for families wanting a couple of hours outdoors without the full day commitment. You get genuine elevation without needing specialist kit, though the ground can be boggy in places (the name's not misleading). The path isn't formally maintained, so it's best tackled in decent weather when you can actually see what you're doing.

Walkers will find this most rewarding, especially those who've tired of the more crowded Cairngorms routes. The view across to Turriff and beyond makes for solid photographs, and the hill sits nicely as a half-day break if you're based at somewhere like Turriff Caravan Park, just five miles off. It's the sort of walk that feels like discovery rather than tourism - no visitor centre, no paid access, just you and the land.

Go when the cloud's lifted. An overcast day here means you're staring into grey nothingness, which rather defeats the point. On a clear morning though, it's worth the leg work.