Shepherd's Loch

If you can drag yourself away from this gorgeous spot, why not sample a couple of drams of finest single malt at distilleries on the Malt Whisky Trail – Chivas Bros (45 minutes’ drive) is the closest to Shepherd’s Loch. If history is more up your street, great stately homes (and ruins) on Scotland's Castle Trail include Castle Fraser, Garden and Estate (an hour). It’s probably first stop the beach for the kids, and Cullykhan Bay (10 minutes) is a peaceful North Sea beach in a cove with caves to explore. You’re almost guaranteed to see dolphins at WDC Scottish Dolphin Centre (55 minutes), but should it rain the octopuses and jellyfish at Macduff Marine Aquarium (15 minutes) are almost as entertaining. For more outdoor antics, you can go horse riding (35 minutes) across the glen, or kayaking in Moray (an hour) – and with several links courses close by at Banff, you might like to give golf (15 minutes) a go too.