Hill of Courtstone

The climb up to Courtstone isn't long, but it rewards you with views that stretch across Aberdeenshire's rolling farmland toward the coast. From Ellon, it's a straightforward drive inland to find the hill - nothing dramatic, just a proper local walk that takes about forty minutes up and down if you're moving at a decent pace.

What you get here is the kind of vantage point that makes sense once you're standing on it. On a clear day you can trace the River Ythan snaking through the valley below, and the Grampians rise up to the west. It's not Cairngorms territory - don't expect wild peaks - but it's exactly what you want if you're based nearby and fancy a leg-stretch without committing to a full mountain day.

Families with reasonably fit kids will manage it fine. The walk itself is gentle enough, though the ground can be boggy after rain. Bring decent boots. If you're staying at Ythan Valley Campsite just down the road, this makes a cracking late-afternoon outing before tea.

The hill works best as part of a wider Aberdeenshire walking loop rather than a destination on its own. It's free, obviously - it's a hill. Allow an hour total if you're dawdling and taking photos. Go on a decent day. There's nothing to see through mist but your own feet.