Hill of Edzell

The walk up Hill of Edzell rewards you with views that stretch across the Howe of the Mearns - proper impressive on a clear day. It's not a slog either, maybe forty minutes or so from the car park, and the path is well maintained without being boring. You get a real sense of the land rolling away beneath you, fields and forests blending into the distance, and if you time it right the light does something special in the late afternoon.

This is walker territory, mainly. History types might appreciate the Iron Age fort remains up there - the ramparts are still visible if you know what you're looking for - but you'll need decent knees and a pair of proper boots. Kids can manage it, though younger ones might flag on the steeper bits. The cairn at the top marks the spot, and locals reckon it's a cracking spot for watching the sunset.

Nearby Laurencekirk has the basics sorted for supplies and a coffee before or after. If you're based at either Dovecot Caravan Park or Royal Arch Riverside Park - both sit within five to six miles - this makes an excellent morning outing or a lazy late-afternoon ramble. The Cairngorms and other Highland peaks aren't far off, so it slots nicely into a broader walking holiday without stealing your whole day. Free to visit, naturally, and worth the trip if you want genuine Scottish moorland without needing to drive hours into the mountains.