Topiary Elephants

Two enormous hedge elephants stand in a field near Cornhill like something from a fever dream. They're proper sculptures - clipped topiary work that's been going on for years, and they've become one of those oddball roadside things that makes you actually stop the car. The detail is remarkable: you can make out the trunk, the ears, the whole posture. It's the kind of thing that makes no sense and every sense at the same time.

You can pull up and walk round them, take photos, and try to work out how on earth someone maintains them. A few minutes does it, honestly - it's not a place to linger for hours. Kids find them brilliant, mainly because elephants are elephants and they're absolutely massive. If you're road-tripping through Aberdeenshire, it's worth a five-minute detour, but don't build your afternoon around it.

The nearest base would be somewhere like Seaview Caravan Park or Deeside Holiday Park, both within easy striking distance. Cornhill itself is small, so this kind of quirk is exactly what breaks up a park holiday. Pop in on the way to or from somewhere else - perhaps visiting other attractions in the area - and you'll have a proper talking point. It's free, obviously, and there's no faffing about with opening times or admission. Just turn up.