Loch na Cathrach Duibhe

The drive to Loch na Cathrach Duibhe takes you right to the edge of what feels like the edge of Scotland. It's a small, dark loch - the name means exactly that - sitting in moorland north of Durness, and honestly, it's the sort of place you stumble upon rather than deliberately seek out. The water is deep and peaty, reflecting the hills around it in that way Highland lochs do when the light hits right.

You won't find facilities here. There's a rough track access, and the whole appeal is that it's quiet and relatively untouched. Walkers pass through on their way to bigger destinations, but if you want a proper wild swim or just somewhere to sit and look at hills without a tour bus in sight, this does the job. Budget forty minutes to an hour, depending on how long you want to linger.

For a family staying at Sango Sands Oasis - just five miles south - this works as a morning ramble before lunch. It's not going to entertain small children for hours, but teenagers and keen photographers will appreciate it. The light in the far northwest is extraordinary, especially in summer when the days barely dim.

Go in the afternoon when Durness town has quietened down. The moorland walk itself is straightforward, though bring waterproof boots - it's boggy in places. Best visited as part of a wider exploration of the north coast rather than as a destination in itself.