Loch nan Losganan

The drive out to Loch nan Losganan from Inverness takes you deeper into proper Highland scenery - lochs, forests, and the kind of silence that makes you realise how far you've come from anywhere else. This is a small, quiet water body that doesn't pull in the coach tours like Loch Ness does, which is exactly why it's worth the trip.

You won't find facilities or marked trails here. What you get instead is solitude and space to roam. The shoreline has decent walking potential, and if the light's right the water reflects the surrounding hills in that particular way Scottish lochs do - grey-blue one moment, then suddenly silver. Photographers and landscape painters tend to linger longest; families with young children might manage an hour before restlessness sets in, unless they're the type who enjoy scrambling over rocks and hunting for wildlife.

There's no admission charge because there's no formal visitor infrastructure. Just turn up and explore. Best visited on a clear morning when midges are less interested in you and the reflections are sharpest. Allow an hour minimum if you're just passing through, longer if you're keen on walking the full shoreline.

If you're based at any of the nearby Loch Ness parks - Loch Ness Shores, the main Holiday Park, or Inver Coille - this makes a refreshing half-day detour away from busier waters. It's the kind of place that rewards turning off the main road and going quiet for a bit.