Carnasserie Cottage, dun

You'll find yourself standing among the ruins of what was once a proper 16th-century fortified house, though there's not much left to grab onto these days. The scattered stone walls and foundations are what archaeologists get excited about - evidence of a structure that belonged to someone with serious money back when Argyll was still finding its feet. The site sits quietly near Lochgilphead, the kind of place where you'll hear nothing but wind and the occasional bird.

It's really for the history buffs and archaeology enthusiasts rather than casual family days out. You won't find interpretation boards or a visitor centre here - just the bones of the building and your own imagination. Allow twenty minutes, maybe half an hour if you're keen on photographing stonework and thinking about what life looked like five centuries ago. The walk in can be a bit muddy depending on weather, so decent boots aren't negotiable.

If you're staying at The Pod Over By nearby, this works as a quiet morning excursion before heading to more developed attractions. It's free, obviously, since there's nothing to pay at an unmanaged archaeological site. The real appeal is solitude and a genuine sense of stepping into the past without the heritage centre crowds. Not dramatic, but genuinely interesting if you're into Scotland's feudal period and how ordinary - well, wealthy - people actually lived.