Loch Airidh Mhic Criadh

You'll find this loch tucked away in the hills above Gairloch, quiet enough that you might have it to yourself on a weekday afternoon. It's a proper Highland water - dark, still, ringed by moorland and the kind of hills that make you realise how remote this corner of the northwest really is.

The loch itself isn't huge, and there's no visitor facility or formal car park to speak of, which keeps the crowds away entirely. Most people come for a walk round the shore or to fish - the water holds decent brown trout if you know what you're doing. The real appeal is the solitude and the views back towards the coast. On a clear day you get a proper sense of why people settle in Gairloch rather than move south.

It's not a destination on its own. You need to be a walker or someone who appreciates empty Highland landscape without much ceremony. Kids might find it dull after ten minutes unless they're the sort who enjoy scrambling over rocks and spotting birds. There's no path as such, just rough ground, so wear proper boots.

If you're staying at Sands Caravan & Camping near Gairloch, this makes a solid half-day outing - less than five miles away. Combine it with a walk into Gairloch itself or down to the beach at Charlestown. Go early in the day to beat whatever light there is in winter, and don't expect to find a cafe or facilities nearby. It's why it's worth going.