Wood of Delgety

The Wood of Delgety sits just outside Turriff in Aberdeenshire, a proper slice of Scottish woodland that rewards a decent walk but doesn't pretend to be more than it is. You're looking at mixed forest - the sort of place where locals actually go rather than tour coaches - with decent paths threading through native trees and the kind of quiet that makes you realise how rare it is.

What you get depends on what you want. Walkers will find enough here for an hour or two without breaking a sweat, though the paths aren't exactly waymarked like tourist hotspots. It's the sort of wood where you might bump into deer, spot woodpeckers if you're lucky, and remember why people live in the Highlands. The ground can get boggy in patches, so decent boots aren't optional.

Historically inclined visitors will appreciate that this landscape has been managed for centuries - the trees tell you that - but this isn't a heritage attraction with plaques and visitor facilities. Come expecting woodland, not interpretation boards.

If you're staying at Turriff Caravan Park, it's close enough for a morning outing without faffing about. Two miles isn't far. Spring and early summer work best - fewer midges, and the woodland's actually doing something interesting. Winter's a bit grim, frankly. Allow a couple of hours if you dawdle; forty minutes if you just want a constitutional.

It won't be the highlight of your holiday. But for a quiet woodland walk near Turriff with no admission fees and no crowds, it'll do the job.