Loch Scristan

You'll find Loch Scristan tucked away in the Highland landscape, a quieter alternative to the madness of Loch Ness just down the road. It's a proper little freshwater loch - calm, reflective, the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think. The water sits surrounded by moorland and scattered pines, and on a clear day the whole thing feels almost private, which given how rammed nearby Loch Ness gets, is rather lovely.

Walkers and nature types will get the most from it. There's decent scope for a circuit walk round the banks depending on access, and birdwatchers do well here - grebes, ducks, the occasional golden eagle if you're patient. It's not a destination that'll eat up your whole day, but as part of a wider Inverness-based trip, it's absolutely worth the detour. You could knock out a couple of hours easily, especially if you pack a flask and settle somewhere with a view.

If you're staying at one of the nearby Loch Ness holiday parks - Loch Ness Shores is barely two miles away, or Loch Ness Holiday Park at three and a half - Scristan makes an excellent quiet morning jaunt. Free to visit, no facilities to speak of, so come prepared. Spring and early summer are best, when the light lingers and you've got a decent chance of decent weather. Winter here is moody but bleak. Families with small children might find it a bit too undeveloped; older kids and keen walkers will think it's exactly the sort of place the Highlands should feel like.