Lochan na Feithe

The walk down to Lochan na Feithe from Kinlochleven is what makes it worth the trip - not the loch itself, if we're being honest. It's a modest little Highland water, but the approach through birch and pine feels properly remote for something so close to a proper town.

You're looking at maybe forty minutes on foot from Kinlochleven, following paths that climb then drop into the glen. The loch sits in a tight valley with steep sides, which gives it a dramatic quality that photographs don't quite capture. The water's dark and cold-looking, ringed by heather and scree. On a clear day you get views back toward the Mamores, and that's when it clicks why people bother making the trek.

This is one for walkers rather than casual visitors. Young kids might find the approach tedious, and there's nothing at the loch itself - no facilities, no ruins, just water and rock and trees. But if you're staying at Blackwater Hostel & Glamping nearby and you've got spare legs, it's a proper morning's walk without being a massive undertaking.

Free to access, naturally. Allow two to three hours round trip depending on fitness. Go on a day when the cloud's lifted - on a grey day this glen feels rather oppressive. It works well as part of a wider explore of the Kinlochleven area, pairing nicely with the longer routes up the Mamores if you're feeling ambitious.