Grassy Loch

There's something about a Scottish loch that makes you feel properly small, and Grassy Loch delivers that in spades. It's a freshwater body tucked into the Highland landscape near Thurso, far enough north that you're genuinely at the edge of things. The loch itself is modest in size - no dramatic peaks looming over it - but that's rather the point. This is where you come to breathe, not to tick boxes.

Walkers get the most from it. The shoreline is accessible enough for a decent circuit, and the water's dark, peaty quality means it photographs brilliantly on overcast days, which, let's face it, is most days up here. Bring binoculars if you're into birds - the Highland lochs draw waterfowl properly. On a clear day you can see across to moorland that goes on for miles. It's the kind of place where an hour becomes two without you noticing.

If you're based at Little Croft Highlands, the campsite just a few miles south, Grassy Loch makes an excellent morning walk before breakfast or an evening stroll when the light gets soft. No facilities to speak of - there's nowhere to eat or hire boats - so come prepared. Free to access, naturally. The real value here isn't in doing something specific; it's in standing still in a wild corner of Scotland where you can hear yourself think.