Loch na Doire Bige

The water here is so clear you can see right through to the rocky bottom, which is rather the point of coming to Loch na Doire Bige at all. It's a small freshwater loch tucked into the Highland landscape near Strathcarron, the kind of place that doesn't announce itself loudly but rewards anyone willing to find it.

This is proper walking country. The loch sits in terrain that's best explored on foot - bring decent boots and waterproofs, because the Scottish weather won't wait for you to decide if you're committed. The surrounding hills rise steeply, and the whole thing has a wild, slightly remote feel without being dangerously inaccessible. You're looking at a straightforward walk of an hour or so to get a proper sense of it, depending on which approach you take from Strathcarron.

Walkers will get far more from this than families after a quick stop. There's no facilities, no café, no way to spend money - it's just you, the water, and the landscape. That's either brilliant or boring depending on your temperament. Photography types love it. Fishers know it well enough. Anyone after a gentle afternoon ramble might find it a touch austere.

If you're based at Sands Caravan & Camping down the road, it's the kind of spot that justifies a morning's outing. You won't need the full day, but you'll feel you've properly got into the Highlands. Best visited when the weather's playing ball - which admittedly isn't always reliable in these parts.