Loch Arnicle

The water at Loch Arnicle sits perfectly still on a calm day, reflecting the Argyll hills with an almost unnerving clarity. It's a modest freshwater loch, nothing dramatic, but that's rather the point - this is proper walking and fishing country, the kind of place where you can actually hear yourself think.

You'll find it a short drive from Tarbert, tucked into countryside that feels genuinely remote without requiring proper mountaineering kit. The loch is mainly for anglers after brown trout, though the shoreline walks are decent enough if you're staying nearby. An hour's circuit gives you enough to justify the drive, though serious walkers will want to combine it with exploring the wider Kintyre peninsula. There's no visitor infrastructure here - no cafe, no car park attendant, no interpretation boards - which means it feels refreshingly unspoilt but also requires a bit of self-sufficiency.

If you're based at Killegruer or Muasdale Holiday Parks, both within easy reach, Loch Arnicle makes a pleasant morning's outing. The fishing reputation means it draws a specific crowd, and families expecting drama or facilities will find it underwhelming. But for anyone seeking a quiet bit of Argyll landscape without the crowds that descend on Loch Lomond, it delivers. Best visited on a clear day when the reflections work their magic. Winter mornings can be properly atmospheric, though muddy underfoot.