Mullochdhu

The walk up Mullochdhu isn't long, but it punches well above its weight for views across Deeside. From Aboyne, you're looking at a straightforward hike that rewards without demanding hours of your day - roughly 45 minutes to the summit if you're moving at a decent pace.

What you get at the top is proper Cairngorms country: rolling moorland, distant peaks catching the light, and on a clear day, the Dee valley spreading out below like a map. It's heather and grass underfoot, the kind of walk where you actually feel the landscape change as you climb rather than just slogging uphill. The peak itself isn't dramatic - no scrambling, no exposed edges - which makes it ideal if you've got teenagers who'd rather not feel vertigo creeping in.

This works brilliantly as a half-day outing when you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks. Firbank Park and Tarland Camping & Caravanning Club Site are both close enough that you could have breakfast, walk, and be back for lunch without feeling rushed. Aboyne Loch Caravan Park is a bit further but still manageable. The bonus is you're not fighting crowds here like you would on Ben Avon or other more famous summits.

Best visited when the weather's settled - that relentless Scottish drizzle kills the views stone dead. Spring and autumn tend to be clearest. No facilities on the peak itself, so take water and a packed lunch if you want to linger.