Black Loch

The water at Black Loch sits dark and still, ringed by moorland that feels properly remote despite being just outside Dunfermline. It's a small Scottish loch - nothing flashy, no visitor centre or tea room - but that's rather the point. You get here for the walk and the quiet.

The main draw is the circuit around the water itself. It's not strenuous, takes a couple of hours at a leisurely pace, and the path is well-defined enough that families with older kids won't struggle. The moorland gives way to tree-lined sections where the light filters through nicely. On a clear day there are decent views across Perthshire, though I'd be honest - it's not the most dramatic loch in Scotland. What it has instead is solitude. Come on a weekday morning and you might not see another soul.

Historically it's been a working loch for centuries, and there's something about the emptiness that makes you understand why people settled here. Walkers will get the most from a visit; it's not really a family destination where you can amuse restless toddlers by the shore for long. Bring binoculars if you're into birds - herons frequent the banks.

It's ideal as a morning expedition if you're staying at one of the nearby parks like Blairgowrie or Fossoway. Pack a decent packed lunch, allow three hours total with a break, and go when the weather looks settled. Free to visit, obviously - there's nothing here to charge for. Worth the detour if you want a proper walk without the crowds that plague more famous lochs.