Loch a'Chrion-doire

The loch sits quiet and dark, ringed by Scottish hills that climb steeply from the shoreline. It's a proper small affair - nothing like the busier Loch Awe further down the valley - and that's exactly what makes it worth the detour from Taynuilt.

There's not much infrastructure here, which is the whole point. You get a loch, mountains, and silence. Walkers will find themselves content just following the shoreline or picking a spot to sit and watch the water. It's the kind of place where you notice the light changing on the hills, where an hour can pass without thinking about your phone.

If you're staying at Loch Awe Holiday Park - which sits not far away - Loch a'Chrion-doire makes a solid morning walk or a break from whatever else is happening. It won't take long, maybe 90 minutes all in, but it's the sort of stop that sticks with you. Pack something to eat and find a flat rock.

Getting here from Taynuilt means some narrow single-track roads, so go slowly and expect to reverse if you meet a car coming the other way. There's rough parking near the shore. No facilities, no admission charge - just you and the water. Families with very young children might find it a bit of a non-event, but teenagers keen on hiking will appreciate the quietness, and anyone after genuine peace will find it in spades.