Reform Monument

The Reform Monument stands on a rise just outside Peterhead, a granite obelisk that catches you off guard if you're not expecting it. This is a proper bit of Victorian earnestness - erected in 1884 to commemorate the Reform Act and local heroes who pushed for it. The monument itself isn't huge, but the setting gives it weight, and on a clear day you get decent views across Aberdeenshire.

Walkers will find it worth a detour, especially if you're staying at Peterhead Marina Bay Holiday Park nearby - it's barely a mile from there, so a morning leg-stretcher rather than a full expedition. History buffs should give it twenty minutes or so to read the inscriptions and think about what the place meant to Victorian Peterhead. Kids might find it a bit dull unless you've got them interested in 19th-century politics, but the walk there's pleasant enough.

The real value is in the context. Peterhead's a working fishing town with genuine character, and the monument tells you something about how communities saw themselves a century-plus ago. It's free to visit, naturally - just turn up. Best in decent weather when the views open up. If you're combining a park stay with exploring the northeast coast, this fits nicely into a morning's wandering. Don't make a special trip from Aberdeen, but if you're in the area, it's worth knowing about.