Loch Leathann an Sgòrra

The water here is so dark it's almost black, reflecting the bare slopes around it in a way that feels properly wild. Loch Leathann an Sgòrra sits on the Isle of Islay, a loch that doesn't announce itself loudly but rewards anyone bothered to find it. There's no visitor centre, no café, no interpretive panels - just you, the water, and the Argyll landscape doing what it does best.

It's a straightforward walk in from the nearest access point, though the terrain is boggy and the path unmarked. Allow a couple of hours if you're not moving fast, longer if you're stopping frequently to photograph the reflections or watch for golden eagles. The loch itself is perhaps 400 metres across, ringed by rough moorland that rises steeply on the eastern side.

This is absolutely a spot for walkers and landscape photographers rather than families after a quick afternoon out. You won't find picnic tables or easy access - it's the sort of place you reach because you've planned to reach it, not because you've stumbled upon it. That's exactly the point. If you're staying at Islay Glamping Pods just down the road, it's worth the leg stretch to see what proper wild water looks like when nobody's put a road round it or a gift shop next to it.

Go on a clearer day if possible. The mist rolls in fast, and half the appeal vanishes when you can't see across to the far shore.