Loch Caoireach

High up in the Highlands above Beauly, Loch Caoireach sits quiet and serious - the sort of water that doesn't bother with tourists much. It's a proper mountain loch, dark and cold, ringed by heather moorland that rolls away in every direction. You won't find facilities or a visitor centre here. What you get instead is exactly what you came for: stillness, views that stretch for miles, and the odd golden eagle if you're lucky.

The walk in isn't trivial - it sits at around 500 metres elevation, so factor in a good two to three hours return depending on your fitness and which route you take from Beauly. The rewards are substantial though. On a clear day you're looking across the northern Highlands with Strathglass below, and in autumn the colours across the moorland are genuinely stunning. Walkers will absolutely love this. It's not a casual stroll, but it's not a proper scramble either - just honest hill work.

Families with young kids might find it a bit much, though teenagers who've got their legs under them will manage fine. Come in spring or autumn when the weather's most stable. Winter can be grim and boggy.

Cannich Woodland Camping and Caravan Park is barely 3 miles away, which makes this a sensible day-walk destination if you're based there. It's the sort of place that reminds you why the Highlands matter - no fuss, no crowds, just landscape that's been doing its thing for millennia.