Prop of Ythsie

The Prop of Ythsie sits quietly in the Aberdeenshire countryside near Ellon, one of those historical oddities that rarely makes it onto the usual tourist circuit. It's a standing stone - or rather, what remains of one - with roots stretching back to prehistoric times. The granite column commands a modest but genuine presence in the landscape, the sort of place that makes you pause and think about the Bronze Age folk who planted it here thousands of years ago.

This isn't a destination that'll keep you entertained for hours. You're looking at twenty minutes maximum, probably less if you're not particularly moved by ancient monuments. But that's rather the point. It's the kind of stop that rewards a slight detour on a broader Aberdeenshire loop - pair it with a night or two at Ythan Valley Campsite just down the road, and you've got a genuine sense of exploring rather than ticking boxes.

Historically minded types will get more from it than families with restless children, if I'm honest. There's no interpretive board, no visitor facilities, just the stone and the fields around it. Come on a clear day and you'll get decent views across the valley. Come when it's drizzling - which is likely - and you'll understand why the ancients felt compelled to leave their mark in stone rather than wood.

Free to visit, naturally. Nearest facilities in Ellon itself.