Crawhin Reservoir

The water here sits perfectly still most mornings, which is either brilliant or slightly eerie depending on your mood. Crawhin Reservoir, tucked away in the Argyll hills a decent drive from Helensburgh, is one of those places that rewards you for bothering to find it - but only if you know what you're after.

It's a working water supply for the area, so don't expect leisure facilities or a visitor centre. What you get instead is a proper quiet spot for walking, fishing if you're licensed, or simply standing around looking at Scottish landscape. The scenery's solid without being show-offy - forested hills, the kind of light that changes every five minutes, water that reflects everything back at you.

Walkers will find this worthwhile if they're after a peaceful circuit or a diversion on a longer route through the area. It's not a destination that'll keep families entertained for hours, but if you're staying at Beach House Pods just up the road and fancy a half-day out from the pods themselves, this works. Allow a couple of hours for a decent walk round, longer if you're the type to sit and watch birds.

Timing-wise, go early or late to avoid any crowds, though honestly you're unlikely to see many people anyway. Bring waterproofs - this is Argyll, and the weather turns quickly. It's free to visit, naturally, since there's nowhere to pay and nothing much to buy. Bit of a rough diamond, really.