Aigas Loch

The loch sits about three miles south of Beauly, a proper Highland water that most tourists completely miss whilst heading for somewhere more famous. Aigas Loch is the real deal if you want to see what the Highlands look like without the crowds pushing you off the viewpoint.

It's a freshwater loch ringed by mixed woodland and open moorland. You can walk the shoreline - takes about forty minutes for a decent loop - and genuinely might not see another soul. The water's dark and cold looking, the kind of colour you see in every Highland postcard, but you're actually here instead of standing behind seventeen other people with cameras.

This works brilliantly if you're based at Highland Premier Glamping Pods just down the road, or staying over at Beauly Holiday Park. The walk is gentle enough for families with older kids, though there's not much in the way of facilities so bring water. No cafe, no visitor centre, no car park as such - just pull off the road and go. That's exactly what makes it good.

Historically it's tied to the local estate systems, but frankly you come here for the walking and the quiet, not the story. Early morning is best. The mist clings to the water until about nine, and you'll have the place entirely to yourself. Give it an hour minimum, two if you're the type who sits by water and thinks.