Loch Coire nan Crogachan

The walk to Loch Coire nan Crogachan from Kyle is what sells it. You're climbing into proper mountain terrain, steep enough to make your legs feel it but never brutally technical. The loch itself sits high up in a corrie, ringed by rock walls that catch the light differently depending on the hour. Water so clear you can see down metres. It's the kind of place that rewards the effort - scramble up for 45 minutes to an hour and you've left the tourists behind completely.

Historically minded visitors won't find plaques or visitor facilities, but the landscape tells its own story. These Scottish Highlands have been shaped by ice and time, and standing at the water's edge you feel that weight of geology. Serious walkers love this spot. Families with teenagers who can handle a proper hill will find it worthwhile. Casual day-trippers expecting a gentle stroll should probably think again.

There's no admission charge - it's wild land. Best visited in settled weather because the scramble up is proper steep and loose stone is no joke in wet conditions. Summer gives you the longest daylight to play with. Glenshiel Campsite is your nearest base if you're staying overnight, just under two miles away, making this a cracking addition to a Highland park holiday. Bring water, decent boots, and realistic expectations about the exertion.