Loch Craskie

The water at Loch Craskie sits absolutely still on a calm day, which is rarer than you'd think in the Highlands. It's a modest loch - not vast, not dramatic - but that's rather the point. You get proper peace here, the kind where you can actually hear yourself think, which near Beauly feels like a small miracle.

There's a rough path around the water's edge if you want to stretch your legs, though it's not maintained to any particular standard. Walkers tend to get the most from it. The surrounding woodland is thick and green, and if you're lucky you'll spot red squirrels or maybe an osprey if the light's right. Families with young kids might manage twenty minutes before restlessness sets in, but keen hikers or birdwatchers could easily spend a couple of hours poking about.

Access appears to be completely free, and there's no visitor infrastructure to speak of - no café, no visitor centre, just the loch. In truth, that's what keeps it worth visiting. It feels unspoilt in a way many Highland lochs don't anymore.

If you're staying at Cannich Woodland Camping and Caravan Park just down the road, this makes a decent leg-stretch without needing to drive anywhere. It won't blow your mind, but it's exactly the kind of quiet water spot that makes sense when you're after proper Highland time rather than postcard views. Go on a weekday if you can.