Wildlife walk

The wildlife walk near Montrose is a straightforward coastal trail that takes you through the kind of landscape that makes you understand why people move to Aberdeenshire and stay put. You're walking through dunes and marshland with proper views across to the Montrose Basin - a tidal area that's genuinely important for migrating birds and seals if you time it right.

It's not a dramatic walk by Highland standards, but that's rather the point. No scrambling, no Alpine vistas that demand a lie-down when you reach the top. Just you, the salt air, and whatever's nesting or swimming past on any given day. Binoculars are essential; a field guide helps, though locals at nearby St Cyrus Holiday Park can point you toward the best spotting seasons.

Walkers and bird enthusiasts will get the most from this. Families with younger children might find it a bit repetitive after an hour - the landscape doesn't change dramatically - but it's close enough to Montrose that you can combine it with lunch in town and not waste a day. Allow two to three hours if you're actually stopping to look at things rather than just trudging through.

The trail works brilliantly as part of a longer Aberdeenshire park stay. St Cyrus Holiday Park is only three miles away and sits right on the coast itself, so you could do both the walk and the park beach in one day. Royal Arch Riverside Park, four and a half miles south near Stonehaven, gives you a different angle on the region. Spring and autumn are best for wildlife spotting, though frankly any time the weather isn't absolutely foul is decent for a walk.