Loch a` Mhuilinn

The water here is absolutely still first thing in the morning - properly glassy - and that's when Loch a' Mhuilinn does its best work. It's a modest Highland loch just outside Beauly, nothing that'll take your breath away like the famous monsters and drama up at Loch Ness, but that's rather the point. You get the landscape without the crowds.

The loch itself is small enough that you can walk the shoreline in under an hour if you fancy it, though there's no marked path and the going is boggy in places. Most people just pull up near the water, have a look across to the hills, and crack on with their day. It's the kind of place you'd stop at en route to somewhere else rather than plan an entire afternoon around.

Walkers passing through the area might find it worth a detour, especially if you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks - Shieldaig Camping is only 2.5 miles away, and it's a decent spot to stretch your legs between pitches. Photographers after moody Highland light will get something usable, particularly in late afternoon when the hills catch the sun.

There's no visitor infrastructure to speak of, no entrance fee, no facilities. Bring what you need. Beauly itself has cafes and shops if you're hungry afterwards. The loch works best as part of a wider Highland loop rather than a standalone trip - pair it with a walk elsewhere and you've got a proper morning sorted.