Glass Bottom Boat

The glass bottom boat at Gairloch is a straightforward affair - you board a proper fishing vessel fitted with an underwater viewing chamber, and off you go into the loch to peek at whatever's below. On a good day you'll spot wrasse, crustaceans, and kelp forests doing their thing. On a mediocre day you'll mostly see murky water and feel a bit daft pressing your face against the glass.

It's genuinely worth doing if you're staying nearby - kids find it entertaining for the novelty factor, and adults who like marine life will spot enough to keep them occupied for the hour or so it takes. Don't expect aquarium-level spectacle; this is real loch wildlife, which means sometimes it's brilliant and sometimes it's genuinely boring. The setting is lovely though, and if you're based at Sands Caravan & Camping just up the road, it's an easy half-day activity that fills the gap between breakfast and lunch without eating into precious beach or hill time.

Bring waterproofs - you're on the water, the Scottish Highlands are wet, and the boat rocks. The best visits happen when visibility is decent, so go on a clear day if you can. It's not a must-do for every visitor, but if you've already explored Gairloch and fancied something different, you could do worse. Just manage expectations. You're not going to see sharks.