Mounthooly Doo'cot

This 17th-century dovecot sits just outside Fraserburgh as a genuine oddity - a perfectly preserved stone tower that once housed hundreds of pigeons. The structure itself is squat, cylindrical, and rather plain from the outside, but step inside and you'll find the real appeal: tier upon tier of nesting boxes carved into the walls, each one a small rectangle waiting for a bird that hasn't nested here for centuries.

It's not a major attraction, to be honest. You'll spend ten minutes poking about and that's your lot. The drive from Fraserburgh takes barely a few minutes, which is exactly why it works as a quick stop if you're exploring the Aberdeenshire coast. History buffs will find it worthwhile - dovecots reveal how Scottish landowners valued fresh meat in the pre-refrigeration days - but anyone expecting a visitor centre or guided experience will be disappointed.

The real draw is combining this with a stay at Down On The Farm, just 0.2 miles away. It's the kind of thing you'd visit between breakfast and lunch, then head off to explore Fraserburgh's working harbour or push further along the Moray Firth coast. Bring a camera if you're into Scottish vernacular architecture; bring kids only if they're the sort who enjoy climbing stone stairs and counting old pigeon holes.

Free to visit, accessible daylight hours. Allow fifteen minutes maximum, including photos.