Lochan na Mna

The walk to Lochan na Mna - that's the Woman's Loch - takes you up into proper Highland scenery just outside Crieff, and it's one of those places that rewards the effort without demanding mountaineering skills. The loch itself sits in a rocky bowl, dark water reflecting the surrounding slopes, and on a clear day you'll see why locals keep quiet about it. Allow a couple of hours for the walk there and back, maybe longer if you're the type to sit and stare at mountains.

It's a straightforward route, well-trodden enough to follow but steep enough in places to get your blood moving. Families with older kids will manage fine; toddlers might find it a slog. The real appeal here is the isolation - you're far enough from the car park that most day-trippers don't bother, which means the loch feels properly remote despite being minutes from civilization.

If you're staying at Loch Earn Leisure Park or Balquhidder Braes, this makes a solid morning or afternoon excursion that fits neatly around other Perthshire activities. It's not the sort of place you'd travel hours for alone, but as part of a walking holiday in the area, it's genuinely worthwhile. Free to visit, no facilities up there, so bring water and snacks. Go when the weather's settled - the cloud comes in fast in these glens, and when it does, you've lost most of the view.