Bucharn Cairn

A Bronze Age cairn sitting quietly on the Aberdeenshire hills, Bucharn Cairn is the sort of place you stumble upon rather than plan for. It's a proper stone circle arrangement - the kind of site that makes you wonder who built it and why, roughly 4,000 years ago. The views across the Highland landscape are genuinely fine, especially if you time it right in the late afternoon when the light hits the hills properly.

Getting there involves a decent walk across moorland from near Banchory, and it's not signposted brilliantly, so bring an OS map or a working GPS. The walk takes the best part of an hour depending on your fitness and how lost you get. Worth the effort? If you're into Bronze Age archaeology or just fancy a proper hill walk with actual purpose, yes. If you're expecting a visitor centre and a café, you'll be disappointed.

It suits walkers and history types far more than families with young kids - the terrain's rough and there's nothing to keep little ones entertained once you're there. The nearest facilities are back in Banchory itself, a decent market town with proper shops and pubs. If you're staying at Feughside Caravan Park or one of the other sites round here, this makes a solid half-day excursion rather than a standalone trip. Best visited in decent weather - exposure up there can be proper fierce when the mist rolls in.