Maiden Castle

The ramparts rise suddenly from the Aberdeenshire landscape, all grass-covered earthworks and the ghost of ancient walls. Maiden Castle isn't much to look at from a distance, but walk up onto those banks and you're standing where Iron Age people built something properly formidable - a fort that dominated this corner of the Highlands around two thousand years ago.

It's a straightforward walk around the perimeter, following the multiple defensive ditches and ramparts that curve across the hillside. No ruins to photograph, no visitor centre explaining things - just the raw archaeology left to your imagination. That's either brilliant or a bit of a letdown, depending what you came for. History buffs will find it genuinely interesting; families with small kids might manage twenty minutes before someone gets bored.

Arbroath sits about four miles south, close enough for a morning visit before lunch. The fort's free to access and there's no time limit, so you can potter about at your own pace. Spring and summer are best when you can actually see where you're walking without squelching through mud.

If you're basing yourself at The Grange Glamping just up the road, this is a decent leg-stretcher that doesn't require special kit or much planning. It's not going to blow your mind, but it's the sort of place that feels worthwhile once you're up there, standing on those ancient banks with views across to the coast. Real history, minimal fuss.