Holy Family Church, Mastrick

The brutalist concrete exterior of Holy Family Church stops you cold on a Mastrick street corner. Built in the 1960s, it's not what you'd call conventionally beautiful, but there's something compelling about its bold, unfussy design - all angular lines and honest materials that make most modern churches look timid by comparison.

Inside, the space feels surprisingly contemplative. Light filters through in unexpected ways. The altar arrangement is clean and minimal. If you're into ecclesiastical architecture or twentieth-century design, you'll find plenty to think about. Families passing through the area might pop in for five minutes and feel they've got the measure of it, though kids won't find much to hold their attention beyond that.

It's free to visit, assuming the doors are open - worth ringing ahead to check times, as smaller churches can be unpredictable about access. Mastrick itself is largely residential, so you're not building a whole afternoon around this spot.

If you're staying at Deeside Holiday Park five miles away - and it's a solid 4.6-star operation - Holy Family Church works as a brief cultural detour on the way to or from Aberdeen. Don't expect the Gothic drama of older Scottish churches; expect something altogether more austere and rather more interesting if you actually look at it properly.