Little Kerloch

Little Kerloch sits just outside Banchory and offers a proper hill walk without the commitment of a full-day expedition. The peak itself isn't dramatic - we're talking 300-odd metres of elevation - but the views across Aberdeenshire are genuinely worth the effort, especially on a clear day when you can see well into the wider Highlands.

The walk takes roughly 90 minutes there and back depending on your pace and fitness. It's steep in places but nothing technical, making it ideal for families with older kids or anyone who wants a decent leg-stretch without needing mountaineering skills. The ground can be boggy in patches, so proper boots are a must rather than trainers.

What makes Little Kerloch work as part of a park holiday is the location. You're within spitting distance of Banchory, so based at Glen Dye Cabins or Feughside Caravan Park nearby, you can knock this out as a morning walk and still have time for lunch in town before doing something else. It's the sort of thing that fills a gap nicely rather than being a destination in itself.

Go when the weather's settled - cloud cover makes the views pointless, and in poor visibility it becomes a slog. Spring and autumn tend to be best, when the midges aren't fierce and the light's decent. Free to access, naturally, since it's just an open hill. Not Instagram-famous, which means you won't be battling crowds.