Torr Alvie

The walk up Torr Alvie from Aviemore is a proper little leg-stretcher that rewards you with genuinely decent views across the Cairngorms. It's not a serious mountain - more a confident hill that takes the best part of an hour to climb - but the effort pays off. From the top you can see right across to the Spey Valley, and on a clear day the bigger peaks start showing themselves off in the distance.

The path itself is straightforward enough, though it gets a bit boggy in patches if the weather's been wet. Families with kids who can manage a steady walk will get through it fine, though the under-fives might find it tedious. This is the sort of thing hillwalkers use to warm up before tackling something more serious, or what locals do when they've got an hour spare on a decent afternoon.

It's free to walk, naturally - just a case of turning up and getting on with it. Early morning is your best bet if you want to avoid other people, though that's less about crowds and more about catching the light properly.

If you're staying at Dalraddy Holiday Park just down the road, this sits perfectly as a morning jaunt before breakfast or a late afternoon stroll. Close enough that you won't waste half your holiday just driving to the trailhead, yet far enough away that it feels like you've actually gone somewhere. Pairs nicely with a wander through Aviemore afterwards.