McLeod Park

There's a particular kind of silence you get in a Scottish nature reserve, especially when the wind drops and the only sound is water moving through birch trees. That's McLeod Park near Banff - a proper woodland reserve that doesn't try to be anything it isn't. You're walking through native Scottish forest here, the sort of landscape that existed long before the caravan parks went in.

The main draw is straightforward: woodland trails that take you through mature trees, open glades, and if you time it right, you'll spot roe deer and red squirrels. There's a burns running through - nothing dramatic, but the kind of gentle water feature that does well for wildlife spotting. Bring binoculars if you're serious about the birds. Family groups with kids aged five upwards will get a solid couple of hours from it; younger children might lose interest once the trail gets repetitive.

It's free to access, which is refreshing. Allow two to three hours depending on how slowly you want to move. Best visited early morning or late afternoon when the light's good and animals are more active. Midday can feel a bit flat.

Near Banff, it slots nicely into a wider Aberdeenshire holiday. Sandend Holidays is just four miles away and runs April to October, or there's Greencraig Pods if you want something more flexible year-round. Neither is fancy, but both give you a solid base for exploring the reserves and coastal paths around here without the fuss of traditional campsites.