Clachnaben, Glen Dye

You climb Clachnaben expecting just another Scottish hill walk. What you get is something altogether sharper - a granite tor erupting from moorland with views that genuinely stretch to the North Sea on a clear day. The name means "stone of the peak" in Gaelic, and once you're standing on those weathered rocks, you understand why locals bothered to name it properly.

The walk from Glen Dye takes about two hours return, gaining 600 metres with the final push properly steep. It's less a ramble and more a proper hill outing - not impossible, but don't bring young kids expecting an easy stroll. The path climbs through heather and granite boulders, and the summit rewards you with that tor you can clamber about on. On a decent day, the effort feels worthwhile. On a grey one, it's rather grim and visibility drops to nothing.

This works brilliantly as a morning excursion if you're staying at Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages (just 2.3 miles away) or Feughside Caravan Park. Both sit within easy reach of proper walking country. Clachnaben fits the pocket of a Deeside holiday - you're near Banchory for supplies and café stops, but close enough to genuine upland terrain that you never feel like you're far from wilderness.

Go when the weather's set fair. The bog can be vicious after rain, and the tor becomes properly treacherous. Worth a full morning of your time, especially if you're walking-focused. Less compelling if you're after easier family-friendly routes.