Migvie Symbol Stone

The Migvie Symbol Stone sits quietly in Aberdeenshire's rolling countryside, about 3 miles from Aboyne - a carved Pictish slab that's been here for roughly 1,500 years. What you get is a hefty lump of stone covered in those mysterious Pictish symbols: a double disc and Z-rod that still puzzle historians. It's the sort of thing that makes you stand and stare for a good twenty minutes, trying to work out what the ancient Picts were trying to say.

You'll want to allow maybe half an hour if you're being thorough, though honestly the walk to find it is often more rewarding than the stone itself. There's no visitor centre, no interpretive panels - just you and an old rock in a field. That's either brilliant or frustrating depending on what you're after. History enthusiasts will get something from it; young kids might lose interest quickly.

It's free, obviously, and accessible year-round, though the surrounding countryside is at its best in late spring or early autumn when you're not fighting midges. Aberdeenshire's got proper good Pictish heritage scattered about, so if you're into that sort of archaeology, you'll want to string a few visits together.

If you're based at Tarland Camping or Firbank Park just up the road, it's worth tacking on to a wider walk round Deeside. Not a headline attraction, but a genuine link to something ancient and forgotten.