Findlater Castle Viewpoint

The drive out to Findlater Castle winds through proper rugged Aberdeenshire countryside before you round a bend and suddenly there it is - a medieval ruin perched on a dramatic rocky headland jutting into the sea. The castle itself sits about 150 feet above the water on this narrow promontory, and from the viewpoint you get the full theatrical sweep of it without needing to scramble down the steep path to the actual ruins.

It's the kind of view that stops you mid-conversation. Waves crash against the rocks below, and on a clear day you can see for miles along the Moray Firth coastline. The ruins date back to the 13th century, though what you see now is mostly from later medieval rebuilds - enough crumbling stone to fire the imagination without being so intact it feels staged.

This works brilliantly for anyone who wants the drama without the heavy lifting. If you've got older kids or elderly relatives, the viewpoint does the job fine. Walkers might press on down to the castle itself, though it's a proper scramble. Allow 30 minutes unless you're doing the full exploration.

Banff sits just five miles north, making this a neat diversion while you're exploring the coast. If you're based at Sandend Holidays or Portsoy Links Caravan Park - both excellent spots, rated 4.8 - you're barely 15 minutes from here. Frankly, the light's best in late afternoon when the sun rakes across those old stones.