Corn Hill

The walk up Corn Hill from Banff takes about forty minutes if you're reasonably fit, and the views across the Moray Firth make every step worthwhile. It's a proper little peak - nothing dramatic, but high enough to feel like you've earned something at the top.

On a clear day you can see all the way to the Cairngorms, though frankly most visitors come for the coast views rather than inland peaks. The path itself is straightforward enough, though it can get boggy in winter. We went in late September and had it almost entirely to ourselves, which was the real prize.

This works brilliantly if you're based at Portsoy Links Caravan Park nearby - close enough for a morning walk that doesn't eat your whole day, but challenging enough that it feels like proper exercise rather than a stroll. Families with older kids will manage it fine. Younger ones might find the ascent a slog without much to hold their attention at the summit beyond the view itself.

There's nothing at the top - no café, no visitor centre, just hillside and sky - so pack a flask if you want to linger. The landscape is classic Scottish Highlands: moorland, gorse, the occasional deer if you're lucky. Worth doing once if you're in Banff anyway. Whether you'd travel specially for it is another question entirely.