Arrie Wood

The woodland track into Arrie Wood starts quietly enough, just outside Inverness, but the deeper you go the more you understand why locals keep coming back. It's a proper forest walk - tall Scots pines mixed with birch, the ground soft with needles underfoot, light filtering through in that particular way that makes you stop checking your phone.

This isn't a manicured visitor attraction with gift shops. It's a working piece of Highland woodland where you might spot red squirrels if you're lucky, or at least hear the birds properly without the usual background noise. The paths are well-trodden and easy enough for families with decent footwear, though it can get boggy after rain so waterproofs aren't optional.

Allow an hour to ninety minutes if you're not rushing. There's a gentle, contemplative quality to it - the sort of walk that clears your head without demanding your full athletic commitment. It works brilliantly as a half-day activity alongside a stay at Fortrose Bay Campsite, just four miles away, giving you somewhere to stretch your legs before heading back for dinner.

The main drawback is the midges in summer if the weather's been damp. Time your visit for late spring or September if you can, when the light's still proper and the insects haven't declared war. Winter's decent too - quieter and you can see further through the bare branches.