Lochan na Càrr

The water here sits dark and still, reflecting the surrounding pines in a way that makes you forget you're only a short drive from Pitlochry. Lochan na Càrr is a small loch that doesn't announce itself loudly - there's no visitor centre, no souvenir shop, just the loch and the quiet. It's the sort of place locals know about and visitors stumble into by accident, which is precisely why it's worth going.

You can walk right around it in under an hour, though the path doesn't go all the way - you'll need to pick your way through rough ground on parts of the circuit. The banks are rocky in places, grassy in others, and thick with heather and birch. On a still morning, it's genuinely atmospheric; on a blustery day, you might find the wind a bit much for comfortable ambling.

This works brilliantly if you're staying at Parkdean Resorts Tummel Valley Holiday Park - it's barely two miles away - or any of the caravan parks scattered around the area. Walkers will get more from it than families with small children, simply because there's no facilities and the terrain can be boggy. Half a morning is enough time.

The real draw is that it feels forgotten. No queues, no entrance fees, no explanatory plaques. Just a Scottish loch doing what Scottish lochs do best - looking moody and proper beautiful when the light's right. Worth the detour if you're in the region, but don't expect thrills.