Knockhill Wood

The woodland trails around Knockhill Wood offer proper forest walking without the tourist crowds you'll find elsewhere in the Highlands. It's the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think - tall Scots pine and mixed woodland that opens onto views back towards Montrose way down on the coast.

The paths are straightforward enough for families with older kids, though younger ones might struggle with the uneven ground. A couple of hours here gives you decent exercise without being a full day commitment. The main appeal is simply being among the trees - no visitor centre, no entrance fee to worry about, just woodland as it should be. Go on a quieter weekday morning if you can; weekends bring folk from Montrose and further afield.

If you're staying at Upper Crawton Park or Cloak Caravan Park - both excellent bases just six miles away - this makes an easy outing that breaks up the drive between other attractions. The walk itself takes 60 to 90 minutes depending on which trails you pick. Bring proper footwear; the ground gets boggy after rain, and roots are everywhere. Best visited autumn or spring when the midges aren't quite so keen on making your life difficult. Summer can be fierce.

It's not dramatic or famous, but that's rather the point. Knockhill Wood is the kind of place you stumble upon and appreciate for what it is - a genuine Highland wood where you can breathe and think and not fight for space.