Craigbeg

The walk up Craigbeg from Drumoak is properly rewarding without being brutal. You're looking at roughly an hour and a half to the top if you're moving at a decent pace, and the views across Aberdeenshire open up steadily as you climb. The peak itself sits at 312 metres, so it's not a serious undertaking, but it's high enough to feel like you've earned something.

What strikes you most is how the landscape changes as you gain height. Lower down it's all woodland and moorland scrub, then suddenly you're above the tree line looking back towards Drumoak and the Don Valley. On a clear day the vistas stretch properly far. It's the kind of walk that rewards early starters - afternoon mist can roll in fast up here, and you don't want to be scrambling down in poor visibility.

Families will find this manageable if the kids have their legs. It's not technical or exposed, though the final push to the summit has some rougher ground. Serious hikers might find it a bit short, but it works beautifully as part of a wider circuit if you're staying at either Silverbank or Banchory Lodge - both excellent bases within five miles. Use it as a morning outing before settling into the caravan parks' proper facilities.

There's no visitor infrastructure at the peak itself, so pack water and something to eat. Best attempted from April onwards when the weather becomes more reliable. Free to access, naturally - it's just hills.