Wood of Aberlour

The Wood of Aberlour sits just outside Keith in Aberdeenshire, a proper woodland walk that doesn't demand much fuss but delivers the goods if you're after some Highlands greenery. It's a straightforward forest track through mixed woodland - Scots pine, birch, the usual suspects - with enough space to let your head clear without getting lost. The paths are decent underfoot and the whole thing takes about an hour if you amble, maybe forty minutes if you're on a mission.

This is solid territory for families with kids old enough to manage uneven ground. There's nothing dramatic or Instagram-worthy, but that's rather the point. You get birdsong, some decent air, and the kind of walk where you can actually think. On a grey day - and there are plenty of those in the Highlands - it's genuinely atmospheric. On a clear one, less memorable.

Walkers heading south from Hillside Havens will find it a convenient half-morning slot before pushing on elsewhere. It won't keep you busy if you're the type who needs viewpoints and dramatic vistas, but slot it into a broader park holiday and you've ticked off a proper woodland experience without overthinking it. Free, accessible, and honest about what it is.