Loch na Girra

A proper small loch sits tucked away in the Highlands south of Inverness, and honestly, it's the kind of place you stumble upon rather than plan for. The water's dark and still most days, reflecting whatever sky Scotland's throwing at you - which could be anything from brilliant blue to brooding grey within an hour.

What you do here depends entirely on what you're after. If you're after a quiet walk, there's enough shoreline to stretch your legs without the crowds you'd get at the bigger lochs. The surrounding hills rise up around you, nothing dramatic but genuinely restful to look at. Fishing types reckon it's decent, though you'll want to check locally about permits before you cast anything.

There's no visitor centre, no café, no infrastructure really - and that's rather the point. It's free to visit, costs you nothing but time. You won't need more than an hour unless you're properly settling in with a picnic. Early morning's your best bet if you want the place to yourself, particularly in summer when the midges aren't too fierce.

Pair it with Fortrose Bay Campsite, just five miles away, and you've got yourself a genuine Highland escape. The loch works well as a morning outing before heading elsewhere in the region. It's not a destination in itself, but as a quiet interlude during a Highland park holiday, it does the job perfectly well.