Tillymuick

The walk up Tillymuick isn't a massive undertaking, which is precisely why it works so well as a half-day mission from Auchleven. You're looking at a modest Highland peak that rewards a couple of hours of effort with proper views across Aberdeenshire's rolling farmland - the kind of landscape that actually means something when you've climbed to reach it.

This one suits walkers who want a bit of altitude gain without the full-day commitment of the bigger peaks. Families with older kids manage it fine; younger ones might find the final push tedious. The terrain's straightforward enough - no scrambling nonsense - which means you can focus on the views rather than your footwork.

Allow a good two to three hours return, depending on your pace and how long you linger at the top. There's no visitor infrastructure here, so pack water and something to eat. The walk works year-round, though winter can make the ground boggy in patches.

If you're based at Glamping Bothie just down the road - that's a cracking spot, five miles or so away - Tillymuick makes a logical morning or afternoon outing. It's not the kind of climb that dominates a day, which means you've got space to explore Auchleven itself or tackle something else in the area. The Highland air and solid effort-to-reward ratio make it worth fitting in.