Culag River

The Culag River feeds into a small loch that sits quietly in the Sutherland hills, far enough off the main drag that you won't find tour buses here. Water this far north has a particular quality to it - dark, peaty, and absolutely still on calm days. It's the sort of place where a red-throated diver might actually put in an appearance, though you'd need patience and luck in equal measure.

Walkers gravitate here because the scenery demands it. The river itself isn't dramatic - this isn't a roaring waterfall situation - but it's the landscape around it that pulls you in. Low mountains frame everything, and on a decent day the light does proper work across the water. Getting there means leaving the A838 and taking to quieter roads, which is half the appeal if you're trying to escape the beaten track.

It suits anyone after a straightforward walk with genuine Highland atmosphere. Families won't find facilities or crowds, which is either perfect or disappointing depending on your kids. Allow a couple of hours if you're planning a proper potter, though you could dip in for thirty minutes on the way to somewhere else.

Stay at Clachtoll Beach Campsite - only 4.7 miles away and genuinely excellent - and you've got a proper base for exploring this quiet corner of Sutherland. The river's best visited when the weather's settled. Midges in summer aren't a joke up here.