Lochan Dubh Mor

The walk to Lochan Dubh Mor takes you into proper mountain country, away from the tourist crowds around Aviemore. It's a dark, peaty loch surrounded by Caledonian pine and heather - the kind of place that feels genuinely remote even though you're only a few miles from the ski centre.

You'll spend a good hour and a half getting there and back, depending on your pace and the state of the path. The terrain isn't brutal, but it's boggy enough that waterproof boots are essential. Once you arrive, the loch itself is striking rather than showy - no dramatic peaks framing it, just that deep water and the forest pressing in close. If you're lucky with light and weather, you'll see the reflections properly. If you're unlucky, you'll get midges and drizzle, which happens roughly half the time in the Highlands.

This is one for walkers who actually enjoy walking, not just the destination. Families might find it a bit much unless the kids are decent hikers. History buffs get nothing here - it's pure landscape and fresh air. The reward isn't a viewpoint or a ruin; it's the solitude and the sense of having stepped out of the ordinary.

Stay at Dalraddy Holiday Park nearby and base yourself there for exploring the wider Cairngorms. Lochan Dubh Mor works as a half-day outing when the weather looks stable. Free to visit, obviously - you just need a pair of legs and the willingness to use them.