Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park

The walk up Kinnoull Hill from Perth takes about twenty minutes if you're moving at a decent pace, and the effort pays off immediately. You're surrounded by proper woodland - ancient pines and birch trees that block out most of the sky - before suddenly the trees part and you're looking down the Tay Valley with the river threading silver through the landscape below.

This is a nature reserve rather than a manicured park, which means it's wilder and more interesting than the average riverside stroll. The woodland itself is the main draw - locals come here year-round, but spring and early summer are when it really sings with bird life. Bring binoculars if you're into that sort of thing. The paths are well-trodden and straightforward enough for families with reasonably fit kids, though there's definitely a climb involved.

It's free to wander, and you can spend anywhere from an hour doing just the viewpoint to a full afternoon if you explore the various woodland trails. The tower folly at the top - a Victorian sandstone structure - marks the highest point and gives you 360-degree views on a clear day. Perth itself is just down the hill, which makes this excellent if you're basing yourself at one of the nearby caravan sites like Scone Camping and Caravanning Club Site. It's the kind of place that doesn't require advance planning - just turn up, park near the bottom, and walk. Weather dependent, obviously, but even on a grey day the woodland atmosphere is rather good.