Silverbank Playing Fields

A stretch of riverside grassland where the Dee flows past Banchory, Silverbank Playing Fields offers exactly what it says on the tin - open ground with proper views across the water and into the Highlands. It's the sort of place locals walk their dogs and families sprawl out on a decent day, rather than somewhere you'd plan a pilgrimage around.

What makes it worth knowing about is the location itself. You're right on the edge of Banchory, with the river running alongside, so the scenery does the heavy lifting. The fields are genuinely free to access - no gates, no tickets, no nonsense. A twenty-minute wander will do it; longer if you fancy sitting about and watching the water.

It works best as an add-on to a caravan holiday in the area rather than a destination in its own right. Both Silverbank Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite and Banchory Lodge Caravan Park sit practically on the doorstep, so you could roll out of your pitch and be here in minutes. Feughside, a bit further out at 4.7 miles, is still close enough for an easy morning stroll before heading elsewhere.

Families with restless kids will find enough space to let them burn energy. Walkers heading deeper into the Highlands might pause here to stretch their legs. Photography types occasionally find something worth shooting, especially when the light catches the river properly. It's not dramatic - just solid, accessible, and exactly where you'd want some breathing room during a caravan holiday in Aberdeenshire.