Hill of Retanach

The walk up Hill of Retanach takes about forty minutes from the car park near Huntly, and it's the sort of climb that feels properly rewarding without being brutal. You get sweeping views across Aberdeenshire the moment you crest the top - moorland rolling in every direction, and on a clear day you can pick out the Grampians shouldering up to the north. It's not particularly high or dramatic, but that's rather the point. This is honest, open country with actual silence, which feels rare these days.

The path is straightforward enough for families with older kids, though younger ones might find the final push tedious. You'll want proper boots - it's boggy in places and gets muddy after rain. Allow two hours if you're meandering, an hour if you're fit and focused. The views justify the effort, particularly in autumn when the heather's turning bronze.

Walkers exploring the Huntly area will find this a cracking warm-up if you're tackling the bigger peaks nearby. It's free, obviously, and there's usually space at the car park. Stay at Huntly Castle Holiday Park, just 6 miles away, and you've got a solid base for exploring this stretch of the Highlands without the crowds you'd get further west. The town itself has cafes worth visiting when you're back at ground level, and the castle ruins are worth an afternoon if the weather turns.