Round Hill

The walk up Round Hill from Keith takes about forty minutes if you're not dawdling, and the effort pays off with proper views across Aberdeenshire's rolling farmland. It's the sort of hill that doesn't announce itself - nothing dramatic, just a steady climb through moorland that gets you high enough to see what's what. On a clear day you can pick out the distant Cairngorms, though I won't pretend the summit itself is spectacular. It's a working landscape up there: fields, forestry, the odd fence line reminding you this isn't wilderness.

Families with kids aged eight and up will find it manageable without needing to be proper hill walkers. The path is worn enough to follow, and children seem to like the achievement of "bagging" a peak, however modest. Allow two hours there and back if you're taking your time, which you should - this isn't a race. Walkers will appreciate the straightforward nature of it, no scrambling or technical nonsense, just fresh air and a bit of exercise.

Go in the morning if you can. The light's better, and you'll beat whatever weather might roll in off the North Sea. There's no cafe at the top, so bring something in your rucksack. If you're staying at Hillside Havens just three miles away, this makes an excellent morning out without venturing far from your base. Round Hill works best as part of a wider Aberdeenshire walking weekend rather than a destination in itself.