Tam's Wood

The woodland paths at Tam's Wood creep up on you gradually. You start among mixed conifers and broadleaf trees, the ground soft with needles and last year's leaves, and within twenty minutes you've genuinely lost sight of the outside world. It's proper forest - the kind where you can walk for an hour without seeing another soul, which near Banff in Aberdeenshire is saying something.

What you get here are straightforward woodland trails rather than any dramatic vistas or attractions. Locals use it for dog walks and quiet morning jogs. The trees are tall enough to muffle sound, and the paths are well-trodden without feeling overused. In autumn the canopy turns nicely; in spring there's decent birdlife if you're patient.

This works best for walkers after a proper stretch of legs - the kind of people who'd be disappointed by a twenty-minute stroll round a car park. Kids under ten might find it a bit samey unless they're the nature-spotting type. Families based at Turriff Caravan Park, about five miles south, could work it in as a half-morning outing without it being the whole reason for your trip.

You'll need to check locally what the current access arrangements are and whether there's parking. It's free to walk through - that much is certain - and you should allow two to three hours for a decent loop without rushing. Best visited when it's dry underfoot, which in the Highlands means you plan your visit around the weather rather than the calendar.