St Brandan's Stanes

Standing stones in the middle of nowhere tend to make you stop and think. St Brandan's Stanes, near Banff in Aberdeenshire, is exactly that - a Bronze Age stone circle that's been quietly doing its thing for over 4,000 years while the world changed around it. You get three upright stones and the remains of what was once a more complete arrangement, all sitting in moorland that feels genuinely remote despite being only a few miles from civilisation.

What strikes you most is the isolation. There's no visitor centre, no interpretation board telling you what to think, no gift shop - just stones, grass, and the Highland wind. It's brilliant for anyone interested in prehistoric Scotland, though you'll need proper research beforehand because the site itself won't do the explaining. Walkers appreciate it as a good excuse to get out onto the moors, and the effort involved in finding it (it's not signposted from the main road) somehow makes the arrival feel worthwhile.

Admission is free, and you can turn up anytime. Allow 20 minutes unless you're the contemplative type who likes to sit and absorb the atmosphere. The nearest town, Banff, has several caravan parks within easy reach - Banff Links and Portsoy Links are both close by and make sensible bases for exploring the Aberdeenshire coast alongside inland sites like this. Honestly, it's not a destination in itself, but if you're already in the area exploring the wider archaeology and landscape, it's well worth the short detour.