Lochan Beinn Damchain

Getting to Lochan Beinn Damchain means leaving Arrochar behind and heading up into proper Highland country. It's a small lochan - nothing like the tourist-magnet scale of Loch Lomond just down the way - but that's precisely why it's worth the walk. The path itself climbs steadily through moorland, and the water sits in a basin surrounded by rough grass and rocky outcrops. On a clear day the views back down towards Loch Long are genuinely impressive.

This is walkers' territory, not families after a car park stroll. You're looking at a couple of hours round trip minimum, and the terrain is uneven enough to demand proper boots. The lochan itself is small enough that twenty minutes of sitting by the water and you've seen what there is to see - but those twenty minutes are often excellent. The mountain backdrop changes colour with the season, and in autumn especially it's a cracking spot for photos.

If you're basing yourself at Beinglas Campsite just down in Arrochar, this makes a natural half-day outing. Loch Lomond Holiday Park is further afield but still within striking distance if you fancy something away from the honeypot crowds around Loch Lomond itself. The lochan isn't signposted to within an inch of its life, which means you won't find yourself queuing. Bring a map, good weather and realistic expectations about distance, and you'll have a decent morning out.