Little Landys, Rothiemurchus

There's a reason locals point you toward Little Landys when you're poking about Rothiemurchus Forest near Aviemore. It's a proper viewpoint - nothing fancy, just a woodland spot where the Scots pine opens up enough to give you a decent vista across the valley. You're looking out toward the Cairngorms proper, and on a clear day it's the kind of view that makes the short walk absolutely worth your time.

The walk itself is straightforward, threading through ancient forest with the sort of quiet you don't get many places these days. It takes maybe twenty minutes from the car park if you're not dawdling, though most people do dawdle because you keep getting distracted by the trees and the occasional bird call. Families with younger kids find it manageable - nothing steep, good ground underfoot.

This works brilliantly as part of a wider afternoon in Rothiemurchus. You could easily combine it with other forest walks or the Loch an Eilein loop nearby. If you're staying at Dalraddy Holiday Park (just over three miles away), it's the sort of local spot that makes a park holiday feel less like you're stuck on a caravan site and more like you're actually living in the Highlands for a bit.

Go when the light's low - late afternoon or early morning - and the forest feels genuinely atmospheric rather than just a pleasant woodland stroll. The midges in summer can be rough, mind, so pick your season carefully.