Joseph Farquharson Memorial

The Joseph Farquharson Memorial sits quietly near Banchory, a modest tribute to a man most folk around these parts know from his paintings rather than any grand monument. Farquharson was a celebrated artist in the 19th century, and this memorial marks his connection to the landscape that inspired his work - all those winter scenes and rural Scottish life that made him rather popular in his day.

It's not the sort of place you'll spend hours at. Most visitors spend twenty minutes, maybe half an hour if you're genuinely interested in the story behind it. What draws people here is really the walk itself and the chance to pause somewhere with a bit of local history attached. Aberdeenshire walkers tend to appreciate that - a destination that gives the ramble purpose.

If you're based at one of the caravan parks nearby - Feughside is closest at four miles, though Aboyne Loch is rated highest if you're after something more polished - you could easily slot this into a morning's exploring. The real draw of the area, though, is the walking itself. The Dee Valley countryside around Banchory is what matters here, and Farquharson's memorial just happens to be a good excuse to get out and see it properly. Free to visit, naturally enough, and no faffing about with opening hours. That's how these places work.