Bennachie Visitor Centre

The visitor centre sits at the foot of Bennachie, a 1,732-metre hill that dominates the Aberdeenshire landscape like nothing else around here. It's the proper jumping-off point if you're planning to tackle the mountain itself, though plenty of people just pop in for the café and the exhibits about local geology and history without ever lacing up their boots.

What you get is a modern facility with displays covering everything from the Iron Age fort on the summit to the granite quarrying that shaped the region. There's a decent café serving straightforward food, and the staff know the trails inside out. The main draw, though, is access to the Bennachie walking routes - you can do anything from a 45-minute ramble to a proper three-hour hike up to the top if the weather holds.

Families with younger kids might find the visitor centre bit a touch dry, but the trails themselves are well-maintained and the views from higher up are genuinely worth the effort. Walking types will be in their element here. The nearest town is Pitfichie, which is small enough that you'll want to base yourself at one of the nearby parks - Hillhead Caravan Park is solid, and if you fancy something different, Glamping Bothie offers a more upmarket experience.

Go on a clear day. The whole point of Bennachie is the panorama from the top, and cloud cover will rob you of that.