Stracathro War Memorial

You'll find this memorial tucked away near Laurencekirk, a modest but dignified structure that stops you in your tracks. Stracathro War Memorial stands as a quiet reminder of local lives lost - the kind of place where you can actually hear yourself think, unlike the busier monuments in Aberdeen.

It's not a sprawling visitor attraction with facilities and guided tours. What you get instead is authenticity - a real community memorial that hasn't been sanitised or packaged for tourism. The setting itself is worth the detour if you're doing the rounds of Aberdeenshire's historic sites, particularly if you're interested in how small villages remembered their war dead rather than focusing only on the grand civic monuments.

History buffs will appreciate the craftsmanship and the local context, whilst it's too brief a stop for most families unless you're already in the area. Allow twenty minutes maximum, though you might spend longer just sitting with the atmosphere of the place. There's no visitor centre or entrance fee to worry about - you simply turn up.

If you're based at either Dovecot Caravan Park or Royal Arch Riverside Park nearby, this makes a sensible addition to a morning's exploring. Laurencekirk itself has cafes and shops if you need a proper break. The memorial works best as part of a wider walk through Aberdeenshire's quieter corners rather than as a standalone destination.