In the great outdoors

If you are really looking to get away from it all, and want a mini-break that allows you to experience the peaceful Scottish landscape at a leisurely pace, then Dundee is your perfect base. From this beautiful city on the river Tay, nestling among the hills and glens of Angus, you will find plenty of opportunities to unwind in the healthy Scots air.

The area is abundant with lochs and nature reserves including the Loch of Lintrathen, which is home to ospreys in the summer and a large variety of wildfowl in the winter. The Angus glens provide varied hill walking and there are many splendid city gardens.

To get some horticultural inspiration, visit the University of Dundee Botanic Gardens, which is packed with plants from around the world, as well as native plant communities, such as heath plants. Camperdown Country park is the largest public park in Dundee and incorporates within its boundaries Templeton Woods - a haven for wildlife and a great location for woodland activities - and Clatto Reservoir, Dundee's centre for outdoor watersports. The Wildlife Centre is the biggest pull, with 50 species of animals, birds and reptiles including European brown bears, lynx and wolves. Take a guided walk through Templeton woods and try to spot the roe deer, red squirrels and tawny owls that make this their home, then take a boat out on the peaceful waters of the reservoir. There is also a fine golf course on Camperdown if you are in the mood for a few rounds.

For magnificent views of the city climb the Law, which is the remains of a volcanic plug and the site of an ancient hill fort. At 571 feet it is the highest point in Dundee and you can see over the Tay to Fife and look out over the Sidlaw Hills in Angus. There is not much walking to be had round Law hill, but if you head west to Balgay Hill you will find some beautiful woodland with two excellent parks on either side, Balgay Park and Lochee Park. The latter has the Mills Observatory, the only full-time public observatory in the UK and you may get a chance to talk to the resident astronomer.

From Arbroath, just 30mins from Dundee, you can take a spectacular four-mile cliff-top walk. Starting from Victoria Park in Arbroath, it eventually leads you to the old fishing village of Auchmithie, taking in Seaton Cliffs, a reserve with spectacular sea stacks, cliffs and caves. The cliffs are home to many seabirds including rock doves, fulmars, herring gulls, shags and kittiwakes. Look out for passing peregrine falcons, dolphins and, if you are lucky you may also catch sight of a puffin. Seaton Cliffs also support a wealth of flowering plants. Where spring creates marshy conditions on the gentler slopes, plants such as meadowsweet and marsh orchid grow alongside woodland flowers such as primrose and violet. Sea campion and other maritime species, such as purple milk-vetch, can also be found.

The Angus glens that surround Dundee provide further walking opportunities and you can also go in hunt of Pictish sites and stones, which are scattered around the area - the local council has produced a leaflet detailing some of the best ones.

There are more Pictish stones in and around Inverness. Six miles east of the city are the Clava Cairns. These Bronze Age chambered cairns are each surrounded by a stone circle in a wooded field. And if you feel you are being a little too healthy, seven miles west of Inverness is the Highland Wineries. Housed in Moniack castle, a fairytale 16th-century white-washed building complete with turrets. For centuries people have been making wines in this area from wildflowers, fruits and tree sap, and here the tradition is preserved. They produce nine country wines and liqueurs together with a range of 22 marmalades, sauces and preserves. Everything is available to sample and a guided tour will show you the fermenting room, filtering processes, bottling and labeling, and then take you through the cellars to the kitchen to watch the cooking of the preserves and sauces, including Hawthorn jelly and Inverness Sauce.

Another way to rest your legs is to take the dolphin cruise from the River Ness. The waters of the Moray Firth are home to the most northerly resident group of Bottlenose dolphins in Europe and you may also encounter some ospreys, red kites and seals. And when you are ready to return to civilisation, both Dundee and Inverness offer everything you would expect from a modern city.

For more information, please visit the Dundee and Inverness areas of the website.