Loch Dubh-mor

The water here is proper dark - hence the name - and it sits in a quiet pocket of Argyll with surprisingly few people about. Loch Dubh-mor is a modest freshwater lake near Taynuilt, the sort of place you stumble upon rather than plan for, and that's precisely why it works. The loch stretches out with gentle banks, backed by low hillsides that catch the light beautifully in late afternoon. You can walk the shoreline without too much fuss, and if you've brought binoculars there's decent birdwatching on offer.

This isn't a destination with attractions in the conventional sense - no visitor centre, no boat hire, no facilities to speak of. What you get instead is space and quiet, which makes it ideal for families wanting a straightforward walk after a night at Loch Awe Camping Pods down the road. The circuit takes a couple of hours at an easy pace, manageable for children who won't complain about distance. History buffs might appreciate the Argyll landscape itself, rich in old clan territory, though the loch itself doesn't have particular stories attached.

The reality is you need your own transport to get here properly - it's not a rainy-day fallback plan. But if you're based near Taynuilt and want somewhere local that doesn't require booking or queuing, this delivers. Go when the weather's settled. On grey days it's pretty unremarkable, but catch it in sunshine and the dark water turns almost inviting.