RSPB Scotland Fowlsheugh

The cliffs at Fowlsheugh rear up from the North Sea like a tenement block for seabirds. Thousands of them - guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, fulmars - wedged onto the red sandstone ledges in a cacophony of squawks and wing-flapping that hits you properly when you first arrive. It's a working seabird colony, RSPB-managed, and the spectacle is genuinely hard to overstate.

You walk down to the clifftop viewing area - nothing fancy, just a fence and a path - and spend as long as you want watching the birds go about their business. Spring through summer is prime time, when breeding is in full swing and the noise levels are at their peak. Autumn's quieter but still worthwhile. Winter? Don't bother.

This is cracking for anyone who actually likes birds and doesn't mind a bit of wind in the face. Families with young kids will find it interesting for maybe half an hour, but it's not a playground. Walkers and birdwatchers will happily spend two hours here. Bring binoculars - they make a real difference.

It's free and accessible year-round from the clifftop path near Stonehaven. Allow an hour minimum if you're serious about it. The nearby caravan parks - Cloak and Upper Crawton are barely a mile away - make this an easy day-trip, and Stonehaven Queen Elizabeth Park sits a bit further out if you need more facilities. Worth fitting in alongside coastal walks in the area, but don't expect manicured visitor centres or cafes.