Lairochs

Walking out to Lairochs takes you to the sort of place that archaeology students dream about - a proper Iron Age fort sitting on high ground near Crieff, with views that stretch across Perthshire. You're looking at earthen ramparts that have survived centuries of Scottish weather, and if you've got even a passing interest in how people lived two thousand years ago, it's genuinely absorbing.

The site itself is unfenced and free to explore, which means you can wander at your own pace without the usual heritage site rigmarole. The ramparts form distinct ridges that you can trace with your boots, and standing at the highest point gives you a real sense of why someone chose to defend from here. It's not a visitor centre with interpretive panels - you need to bring a bit of imagination and perhaps a guide book.

Historically minded walkers will get the most from this. Families with young children might find it a bit abstract unless they're already keen on archaeology. Allow a couple of hours if you're doing the walk from Crieff and want time to explore properly. The terrain is rough in places, so decent boots aren't optional.

It fits well with a caravan holiday at either Braidhaugh Holiday Lodge or Craighead Howf - both are close enough for a morning outing, and you can pair it with walks around the wider Ochil Hills. Go when the ground's dry. Boggy conditions make the whole thing considerably less enjoyable.