Loch nan Gamhna

You'll find this loch tucked into the Highland landscape near Strathcarron - a proper bit of remote Scotland that doesn't make it onto every postcard. Loch nan Gamhna itself is quiet water, the sort of place where you go to escape rather than to tick boxes. There's no visitor centre, no tea shop, no signs telling you what you're looking at. You just arrive and take it in.

The main appeal is the walk itself. Getting to the loch means heading out on foot through rough terrain, which makes it ideal for walkers who want something beyond a twenty-minute car park stroll. The Highland scenery around Strathcarron is genuinely dramatic - mountains rear up on all sides, and on a clear day the views are worth the effort. It's the sort of place that photography types will spend hours messing about with angles and light.

Families with very young children might find it underwhelming - there's nothing to do once you arrive except sit and look. But teenagers who aren't completely glued to their phones, or anyone after a genuine bit of peace, will get proper value from it. Allow several hours for the walk and to hang about when you get there.

If you're staying at Shieldaig Camping & Cabins down the road, this makes a cracking half-day outing. Combine it with exploring the wider Strathcarron area and you've got enough to justify a few days in the region. Go early if you can - the light's better and you'll likely have the place to yourself.