Red Moss, Netherley

Red Moss sits just outside Cookney in Aberdeenshire, a stretch of moorland that catches you off guard if you're driving through expecting tidy farmland. It's a proper bog - sphagnum moss, heather, and the kind of landscape that feels genuinely wild rather than managed. The ground squelches underfoot, especially after rain, and you get genuine Highland views across open country.

This isn't a destination where you'll spend hours. Twenty minutes to half an hour gets you the measure of it. The appeal is in the walking - there are informal paths across the moss where you can wander and spot bog plants, the occasional bird, and nothing much else. It's the sort of place walkers appreciate for its openness and solitude, especially in late summer when the heather's out. Families might find it boring after a quick poke about; it needs patience and an eye for landscape detail.

If you're camping at Stonehaven Queen Elizabeth Park - about five miles south towards the coast - Red Moss works as a half-day excursion. Pack proper boots; the ground's deceivingly wet. There's no facilities here, no visitor centre, no fee that I can trace. It's just land. In good weather it's worth the detour if you're into moorland walks. In bad weather, frankly, you'd be better off staying put. Go early in the day to avoid crowds, though crowds here would be four or five other people maximum.