Thinker's Hill

The walk up Thinker's Hill from Montrose takes about twenty minutes and rewards you with proper views across the Montrose Basin and out towards the North Sea. It's not a dramatic climb - more of a steady trudge through scrubby grassland - but the panorama at the top makes it worthwhile.

There's a cairn and some weathered benches where you can sit and actually think, which is presumably where it got its name. The basin itself is fascinating if you're into birdwatching; greylag geese, pintails, and wigeon congregate here depending on the season. Bring binoculars if you're interested in that sort of thing.

Historically it's nothing special - no ruined castles or ancient markings, just a decent vantage point that locals have clearly valued for ages. That's rather the point though. You get a real sense of the landscape without any interpretation boards or visitor centre nonsense.

Families with reasonably fit children will manage it fine. It's the kind of walk where you can turn back whenever you fancy if someone gets knackered. Allow forty minutes to an hour including time at the top for a flask of tea. St Cyrus Holiday Park sits just a couple of miles away, making this an easy half-morning activity if you're staying in the area. Go when the wind's not absolutely howling - the exposed summit can get properly brutal in rough weather.