Lochan nam Ball

The water here is so still you'll swear it's a mirror someone forgot to hang. Lochan nam Ball sits tucked away in the Highland landscape near Strathcarron, a small loch that rewards the effort of finding it with genuine peace and some proper mountain views.

It's a straightforward spot - a mountain loch with hills rising around it, the kind of place where you can spend half an hour photographing reflections or just sit on the bank with a flask and not see another soul. There's no visitor centre, no gift shop, no queue. That's rather the point. You're looking at a genuine slice of Highland landscape, the sort that gets photographers excited when the light's right.

Walkers get the most from this. It's not a destination in itself so much as a rewarding diversion if you're in the area on foot - the approach through the glens is half the appeal. The loch itself makes for a meditative pause rather than a full day's activity, though if you're keen on mountain lochs and wild swimming, you could happily linger longer. Families with restless younger kids might find it a bit of a letdown - there's nowhere to splash about safely, and it demands a bit of wandering to get there.

Free to visit, as lochs tend to be in Scotland. Allow a couple of hours if you're walking in from Strathcarron direction. It pairs well with time at Shieldaig Camping & Cabins if you're basing yourself nearby - makes for a good morning excursion before heading elsewhere. Go when the weather's settled; Highland wind can make even the most serene loch feel rather exposed.