Millhuie Hill

The walk up Millhuie Hill from Strathdon is straightforward without being boring. It's one of those Aberdeenshire peaks that doesn't demand mountaineering skills or fancy kit, just decent legs and a couple of hours to spare. The approach takes you through moorland that shifts colour with the seasons - purple heather in late summer, burnt orange in autumn - before you crest the summit at just over 2,000 feet.

What makes it worthwhile is the view rather than the climb itself. On a clear day you're looking across to the Cairngorms proper, and west towards the broader Highland massif. The landscape feels genuinely remote despite being accessible, which is the sweet spot for most walkers.

Families with older kids will manage this fine. Younger children might find the exposed moorland a bit relentless on the way up - there's not much to break up the trudge. History enthusiasts won't find much on the hill itself, but the setting tells you plenty about Highland land use over centuries.

If you're based at Cairngorms Glamping & Campsite, just four miles away, this works as a half-day excursion. Pair it with exploring Strathdon's quieter corners rather than trying to cram in too much. The glen itself has character - old military roads, sparse settlements, the sense you've properly left the lowlands behind. Go in settled weather; in mist or wind, the moorland loses its appeal fast.