Romach Hill

The walk up Romach Hill takes about forty minutes from the car park near Forres, and it's genuinely worth your legs getting tired. You're looking at proper Highland views across Aberdeenshire the whole way up - moorland, forest patches, and on a clear day the Cairngorms aren't just a smudge on the horizon. The climb's moderate rather than brutal, which means families with decent walkers won't struggle, but it's steep enough that you feel like you've accomplished something when you reach the top.

The summit itself is a bit windswept and bare, which is fine because the panorama does the talking. There's a trig point up there, the sort of thing serious walkers tick off their lists. The ground underfoot can be boggy in parts - wear proper boots, not trainers. Allow a solid two hours for the round trip if you're stopping to breathe and take photos.

It's free to access, naturally. Best visited outside the heavy midge season (May to September can be rough), and mornings tend clearer than afternoons in the Highlands. This works brilliantly as a half-day activity alongside ACE Adventures & Hideaways just five miles away - you could do the walk in the morning, grab lunch in Forres, then tackle whatever activities the glamping spot offers in the afternoon. If you're camping there anyway, Romach Hill makes for a proper Highland escape without needing a full expedition's worth of kit.