Compass Sculpture

There's a rather striking steel compass rose sitting in the landscape near Westhill, and it's one of those pieces that stops you mid-walk. The Compass Sculpture is exactly what it says - a gallery-style installation that plays with navigation and direction in a way that feels both contemporary and oddly contemplative.

You're looking at a proper piece of public art here, not something tucked away in a building but out where the Aberdeenshire landscape can do its thing around it. The metalwork catches light differently depending on the time of day and weather, which is the whole point really. It's the sort of thing that photographs better than you'd expect and makes for a decent reason to stretch your legs if you're staying in the area.

This works best if you're the type who appreciates modern sculpture and doesn't need a gift shop or café to justify the visit. It'll take you twenty minutes tops, unless you're the sort to sit and contemplate for a while. Kids under ten might lose interest quickly - there's not much to do beyond look at it.

If you're based at Deeside Holiday Park, it's barely half an hour away and worth tacking onto a wider walk or drive through the Dee Valley. Go when the light's decent - grey Scottish afternoons flatten it a bit, but sunrise or late afternoon sun brings out the steel's character properly.