David Welch Winter Gardens

The David Welch Winter Gardens sit just outside Ferryhill, a proper oasis if you're caught in that Scottish drizzle or need a break from the Aberdeenshire wind. It's a glass-fronted space filled with exotic plants and tender varieties that simply wouldn't survive outdoors in this part of the world - palms, ferns, flowering specimens from warmer climates all thriving under glass.

You're looking at a solid hour here, maybe ninety minutes if you're the type to read every label and photograph the orchids. There's something oddly peaceful about wandering through warm, humid air when it's grey outside. Families with young children find it engaging enough - kids usually enjoy spotting unusual plants - though it's not a major draw if you've got restless teenagers.

The gardens are free to wander, which makes them worth fitting into a morning if you're staying at Deeside Holiday Park nearby. It's only five or six miles away, so easily doable as a half-day excursion from your holiday base. Winter or summer, the temperature inside stays pleasant, so there's no real "wrong time" to visit, though you'll avoid the peak tourist crush by going mid-week.

It's the sort of place you stumble upon and think, 'Ah, glad we did that,' rather than the thing you plan a whole trip around. But paired with other Aberdeenshire attractions, it slots in nicely. On a proper wet Highland day, you'll be genuinely grateful for the shelter.