Loch Lunndaidh

The water here sits absolutely still most mornings, a sheet of dark glass reflecting whatever sky decides to show up. Loch Lunndaidh, tucked away in the Highland interior near Dornoch, isn't the kind of loch that announces itself - no visitor centre, no car park with a gift shop, just a proper working landscape that hasn't been gentrified into submission.

You'll find it a solid walk from the nearest track, which immediately filters out the casual tourist trade. The surrounding moorland rolls in purples and browns depending on the season, and the loch itself is ringed with birch and pine. It's the sort of place where you might spot red deer if you're quiet enough, or golden eagles if you're genuinely lucky.

This is absolutely a destination for walkers and landscape photographers rather than families wanting a quick afternoon out. Allow three to four hours minimum if you're going the whole hog - the terrain is boggy in places and the path isn't formal. Bring proper boots and weather gear; Highland weather changes faster than you'd believe.

Stay at Parkdean's Grannie's Heilan' Hame just down in Sutherland, and Loch Lunndaidh makes a proper full-day expedition rather than a casual detour. It's not convenient, but that's rather the point. If you want somewhere your phone won't bother you and the landscape does all the talking, you've found it.