Dunderave Castle

The tower house sits on the shore of Loch Fyne like something out of a Scottish postcard, all weathered stone and water views. Dunderave Castle is small - properly small - but that's rather the point. Built in the 1620s, it's one of Argyll's finest examples of a fortified dwelling, and you can actually feel the defensive logic in its design: thick walls, a corbelled parapet, arrow slits that mean business.

It's a ruin now, locked up and viewable from outside, but standing on the shingle beach looking up at it gives you more than enough to work with. The setting matters as much as the building itself. This isn't a grand tourist attraction with gift shops and tour guides - it's the real thing, quietly sitting in the landscape near Inveraray. Walkers and history types will get the most from it, though families might find twenty minutes satisfying before kids want to move on.

Access is straightforward from the road, and there's no charge to look around the grounds. The castle faces across Loch Fyne towards more mountains, so if light is decent you'll get proper photographs. It works well as a short stop on a loop through Argyll if you're based at Argyll Caravan Park or Drimsynie Holiday Village - both within easy driving distance. Combine it with a walk along the loch shore or time in Inveraray itself, and you've got a satisfying morning. Don't expect to spend hours here, but it's worth the detour for anyone interested in Scottish castles without the crowds.