Auld Bourtreebush

You'll find yourself standing in a field near Cults, staring at what amounts to a rather modest grassy mound. This is Auld Bourtreebush - a Neolithic chambered cairn that's roughly 5,000 years old, which puts it in perspective when you realise it predates Stonehenge by centuries. What you're looking at is the remains of a stone burial chamber, though the stones themselves are mostly gone now, leaving behind this humped earthwork that doesn't immediately announce its significance to the untrained eye. The site sits quietly in the Aberdeenshire landscape, unmarked and frankly a bit underwhelming at first glance.

It's genuinely worth the short detour if you're into prehistoric Scotland, or if you've got a curiosity about Neolithic burial practices. Serious archaeologists and history types will find something to chew on here - the site tells a story about early farming communities and their relationship with death and the landscape. For everyone else, it's a brief stop rather than a destination. You'll spend twenty minutes here, maybe thirty if you're the contemplative type.

Free to visit, no facilities or interpretive signs to speak of, so come prepared. The nearest proper base is Stonehaven Queen Elizabeth Park, a solid five-star caravan site about six miles south - handy if you're making a wider loop through Aberdeenshire's archaeology. Access is straightforward from Cults, though you'll want local directions or a good map. Best visited when the weather's dry - muddy fields don't enhance the experience.