Lochan Srath Dubh-uisge

A small dark loch tucked into the hills above Arrochar, this one rewards the walk in rather than the casual drive-by. The water sits deep and still, ringed by proper Scottish moorland - the kind of place where the light changes every ten minutes and you'll genuinely see why people bang on about the Highlands.

Walkers will get the most from it. There's no visitor centre, no facilities, no tourist infrastructure whatsoever. You're looking at a decent walk from Arrochar - allow a couple of hours there and back depending on your fitness - but that's rather the point. The solitude is the whole appeal. The loch itself is modest in size, but the setting is what matters. Dark water, quiet hills, nothing else.

If you're staying at Beinglas Campsite just three miles away, this makes a proper morning excursion. The nearby Loch Lomond Holiday Park is another option, though frankly you could do this as a day trip from Glasgow if you fancied it. There's something about the emptiness here that feels restorative after the busier parts of the loch.

Go when the weather's clear enough to see the hills properly. Midweek in shoulder season beats the summer crowds. It's not spectacular in the postcard sense, but it's genuine - the kind of place that sticks with you longer than somewhere more famous. Families with young children might find the walk a bit much for what amounts to a quiet water view, but serious walkers will absolutely rate it.