Loch Leathad nan Aighean

The water here sits absolutely still on a calm day, which is rare enough in this part of Sutherland that when it happens, you stop and stare. Loch Leathad nan Aighean is a small highland loch that doesn't appear on every map, which tells you something about how remote it feels.

It's the kind of place you'd find by accident while walking or driving through the northwest Highlands, though getting there requires proper navigation and a willingness to venture off main roads. The loch itself is modest in size but genuinely impressive in its setting - surrounded by rough moorland and hills that shift colour depending on the light and weather. There's something properly wild about it, without the manufactured drama some tourist lochs trade on.

Walkers will get the most from this one. There's no car park, no facilities, no visitor centre - just water, hills, and the sound of wind through heather. You could spend an hour here or three, depending on whether you fancy a circuits around it or climbing the surrounding slopes. Bring waterproofs and map skills.

The nearest Clachtoll Beach Campsite (just over a mile away) makes a sensible base if you're exploring this corner of Sutherland. It's free to visit the loch itself, as you'd expect from an unmaintained highland water. Summer is pleasanter than winter, but autumn light here is exceptional if you don't mind the cold. Go early in the day to avoid whatever midges might be about.