The Gonks of Gardenshillock Storybook Trail

You'll spot them before you've walked fifty metres - wooden gonks perched on posts, tucked into tree hollows, grinning from fence posts along the Gardenshillock Storybook Trail near Kingswells. They're crude, cheerful things, and somebody has clearly put proper thought into placing them throughout this woodland walk.

The trail itself winds through mixed forest and open ground, marked by these gonk characters that tell a loose narrative as you go. It's not high-concept storytelling - more a series of charming waypoints that give kids a reason to keep walking rather than lag behind. You're looking at around an hour's amble depending on how many times you stop for photos and how many times your children demand explanations about what each gonk is doing.

This works best for families with under-tens who need a bit of theatre with their exercise. Older kids and serious hikers might find it slight, though the woodland itself is pleasant enough. It's free to access, which helps justify the modest detour if you're staying at Hillhead Caravan Park or exploring the wider Aberdeenshire area.

The whole thing has a homemade, labour-of-love quality - the sort of thing a local has maintained over years without fuss or funding. That's actually rather endearing. Go mid-week if possible to avoid the school groups, and bring a camera. The gonks photograph surprisingly well in decent light.