Loughgar

The water sits dark and still, ringed by dense woodland that climbs steeply away from the shoreline. Loughgar is a proper upland lake - the sort of place you stumble upon rather than deliberately seek out, which is rather its charm. It's not a destination for boat trips or water sports; instead, it's the kind of spot walkers love because it demands a bit of effort to reach and rewards you with genuine solitude.

The approach from Omagh takes you into some of Fermanagh and Omagh's most rugged terrain, and you'll understand quickly why the locals keep quiet about it. The lake itself is small enough to circuit comfortably in an hour, though the surrounding hills make for longer rambles if you're keen. Most visitors are walkers or photographers after that rare thing - a landscape that hasn't been softened for tourism.

There's no visitor centre, no café, no admission fee. It's free to access, which says everything you need to know about the place. Allow a couple of hours if you're doing the waterside walk; longer if you're exploring the moorland beyond. Timing-wise, late spring through early autumn beats the winter months when the weather turns properly grim.

If you're basing yourself at Gortin Glen Glamping - just down the road - this makes an excellent morning walk before settling in for a proper slow evening. It's the sort of lake that teaches you how big space really is.