Banchory

The River Dee carves a graceful path through this Royal Deeside town, making it a proper gateway to the Cairngorms. Banchory sits where Victorian grandeur meets Highland wilderness - think granite buildings against a backdrop of heather-clad hills.

White Hill and Little Ord offer cracking walks just minutes from the town centre, while the more adventurous can tackle Tom's Cairn for views that stretch across Aberdeenshire's rolling countryside. The archaeological remnants at Bucharn Cairn and Castlehill Motte hint at the area's ancient past, well before Queen Victoria made Royal Deeside fashionable.

Deeside's salmon fishing is legendary here. The river pools below town are some of Scotland's finest, though you'll need deep pockets for the privilege. More accessible are the walks along the riverbank, particularly lovely in autumn when the birches turn golden.

Birse and Feughside Church sits prettily beside the River Feugh, where you can often spot salmon leaping at the falls. It's a gentle 20-minute walk from town through some of Scotland's most photogenic countryside. The area around Black Loch and Cormech makes for proper Highland rambling without the crowds you'll find further west.

Getting here is straightforward - just 18 miles west of Aberdeen on the A93. The train no longer runs, but regular buses connect to the granite city. Several holiday parks dot the Deeside corridor, including Deeside Holiday Park and Royal Arch Riverside Park, putting you right in the heart of salmon country. From any of these bases, you're perfectly placed for both the Cairngorms National Park and the coastal attractions around Stonehaven.