Sandend Harbour

The working harbour at Sandend is the real deal - fishing boats still tie up here, nets get mended on the quay, and there's an actual pulse to the place that you won't find in many Scottish coastal spots. It's small, maybe five minutes to walk the whole thing, but that's rather the point. You're watching genuine working life, not a theme park version of it.

The village itself sits just west of Banff, and the harbour forms the heart of things. Park up and wander down to watch the boats. If you've timed it right, you'll see catches being landed or local fishermen sorting their gear. The stone quay is solid for a proper look around, though there's not much in the way of facilities - no cafes or visitor centres, just the harbour doing what it's always done.

Families with young kids will get maybe twenty minutes of entertainment unless they're genuinely keen on boats. Photographers and walkers will find it worthwhile, especially when the light's good on the water. It's the sort of place that works best as part of a larger coastal walk rather than a destination in itself.

Staying at Sandend Holidays puts you right here - literally a ten-minute stroll away - which is handy if you want an early morning wander before the crowds (if there are any) arrive. Portsoy Links, a couple of miles down the coast, gives you the same access but a bit more of a drive. Either way, pair this with the wider Aberdeenshire coastline walk and you've got something genuine.