Loch Croispol

Drive north from Durness and you'll find yourself at one of the most remote lochs in the Scottish Highlands - Loch Croispol sits in absolute silence, hemmed in by moorland that stretches for miles. There's no visitor infrastructure here, no cafe, no gift shop. Just water, hills, and the kind of quiet that makes your ears ring.

It's a walk-in destination pure and simple. The loch rewards a bit of effort - you'll get proper views across to Ben Hope and Ben Stack on clear days, and the whole place has that raw, untamed feel you come to the north coast for. Birdwatchers do well here, particularly in spring and early summer. Walkers find it genuinely rewarding because there's no crowds. Families with young kids might find it a bit windswept and exposed, to be honest.

Allow an hour or two for a decent walk around the shore. Bring a packed lunch because there's nowhere to eat nearby - the nearest facilities are back in Durness itself. Waterproofs are non-negotiable; this is peat moorland, and it rains.

If you're camping at Sango Sands Oasis - which sits just a mile away - Loch Croispol works as a brilliant morning or afternoon excursion. It's the sort of place that separates people who come to the Highlands for the Instagram shots from those who actually want to experience what the landscape does to you. Worth the detour if you're up this way.