Carrick Castle

The ruins of Carrick Castle rise from the water's edge like something from a half-remembered dream. It's a proper fortress - medieval stonework jutting out into the loch, accessible by a short walk from the shore near Dunoon. What you're looking at is a 15th-century stronghold that once mattered strategically; now it's gloriously overgrown and entirely free to explore, though you'll need to check locally whether the access is open before making the trip.

The castle works best for anyone with a genuine interest in Scottish medieval fortifications rather than polished heritage sites. There's no visitor centre, no gift shop, no explanatory panels. Just crumbling walls, weathered stone, and genuinely atmospheric ruins where you can actually clamber about and imagine the place as it was. Walkers heading round the loch will pass it naturally; families with restless kids might find an hour here enough before moving on. History types and ruin enthusiasts absolutely should make the detour.

It's a twenty-minute proposition tops, unless you're the sort to sit and sketch or photograph seriously. Allow time to scramble down to the water's edge for the best angle. If you're based at Glenfinart Caravan Park or any of the other sites within a few miles - Drimsynie, Loch Eck, Stratheck - Carrick Castle slots neatly into a morning's exploring around Dunoon. Go early or late in the day to avoid groups; the light's better then anyway, and you'll have the place to yourself.