Lochan Fhidhleir

A small mountain loch tucked into the Highlands proper, Lochan Fhidhleir sits quietly near Strathcarron without the crowds you'd find at the bigger lochs. The walk in takes you through proper wild country - moorland and low scrub that opens up to show you water that's genuinely still on most days, ringed by steep slopes. It's not a dramatic turquoise you see on postcards. Instead it's the sort of grey-green that changes every hour depending on the light.

This is walkers' terrain, full stop. There's no car park right on the shore, no café, no facilities. You're looking at a decent trek to reach it, and the path can be boggy depending on how much rain the Highlands have thrown at things. That filters out the casual tourist crowd, which means you get the loch more or less to yourself.

If you're staying at Shieldaig Camping & Cabins just down the road, it's absolutely worth the half-day excursion. Bring proper boots, check the weather first, and allow three to four hours for the round trip if you're not a fast mover. Bird watchers might spot golden eagles or red grouse up here. Fishermen sometimes come for the brown trout, though you'll want to check permissions first.

On balance, it's not a destination in itself - you're not going to hike two hours each way just for a loch unless you're already in the area. But as part of a Highland holiday, it's the real deal: somewhere genuinely remote without needing proper mountaineering skills.