Lochan Dalach

The walk down to Lochan Dalach is short but steep - proper steep - so don't expect a gentle stroll. It's worth it though. This small, dark lochan sits tucked into the hillside above Taynuilt, and on a clear day the reflection of the surrounding peaks on the water is genuinely lovely. The whole thing takes maybe twenty minutes down and the same back up, so it's ideal if you've got restless kids or just can't face a full mountain trek.

It's not going to blow your mind if you've already done the proper Loch Awe hikes, but as a quick afternoon detour it does the job. The lochan itself is peaceful, fairly isolated, and the kind of place where you actually hear water and birdsong rather than other tourists. Families with older children will manage it fine - the path's clear enough - though very young ones might find the descent a bit dodgy underfoot.

If you're camping at Loch Awe Camping Pods just down the road, add this to your itinerary one afternoon when the weather's decent. Free to visit, naturally, and no facilities to speak of, so bring water. Late afternoon light here is particularly good for photographs. The real appeal isn't the lochan itself so much as the isolation - it feels like you've actually gone somewhere, not just wandered round a beauty spot car park.