Aboyne

Rolling Deeside countryside meets ancient granite peaks where the River Dee sweeps through the Scottish Highlands. Aboyne sits at the heart of Royal Deeside, that famous stretch of Aberdeenshire where Queen Victoria fell in love with the landscape and built Balmoral just up the road.

The town feels properly Scottish Highland - stone houses, wide streets, and that crisp mountain air that makes everything seem sharper. It's a working place rather than a tourist trap, though visitors come for the outdoor life. The Dee provides excellent salmon fishing when the season's right.

Climbing enthusiasts head straight for Craig Dhu or the Hill of Corrachree for cracking views across the valley. Less ambitious souls can take the short walk to the various viewpoints scattered around town - the effort's minimal but the panoramas are worth it. Tarland Golf Club offers a decent round if you fancy staying closer to civilisation.

History buffs will find plenty to poke around. The area's dotted with memorials and ancient sites, including the curious Tomnaverie Stone Circle Maintenance Cairn. These granite sentinels have been watching over the glen for thousands of years, long before Victoria ever set foot in Scotland.

Getting here's straightforward enough - it's about an hour west of Aberdeen on the A93, the same road that continues to Braemar and the ski slopes beyond. The train doesn't reach Aboyne, so you'll need wheels.

Staying at one of the holiday parks around town makes perfect sense. You're ideally placed for day trips to Balmoral, Braemar, or even a push into the Cairngorms proper. The Feughside and Ballater areas offer several caravan parks, while Tarland provides a quieter base for exploring the ancient trails that crisscross this part of Deeside.