Loch Chuilceachan

This small freshwater loch sits quietly in the hills above Colintraive, the sort of place you'd stumble upon rather than plan for. The water is dark and still most days, reflecting the surrounding woodland and moorland in a way that proper mountain lochs do. It's not dramatic - no jagged peaks, no famous hikes - but that's rather the point.

You can walk the shoreline if you fancy it, though there's no marked path and the terrain is boggy in places. The real appeal here is the peace. If you're based at Glendaruel Caravan Park down the road, this makes a decent afternoon wander, especially in autumn when the light gets interesting. Bring binoculars if you're into birds; the area's quiet enough to spot things you wouldn't see elsewhere.

It's free to visit and takes about an hour to properly explore the immediate area. Don't expect facilities - no café, no car park, nothing really. You'll need a vehicle to get here from Colintraive and good wellington boots if it's been wet. Families with very small children might find it a bit of a trudge with limited payoff, but older kids who enjoy actual walking rather than theme parks will appreciate it.

Sit on the bank for twenty minutes and do absolutely nothing. That's the visit. It works as a break between the caravan parks nearby or as a leg-stretch on the way to somewhere else in Argyll.