Poll an t-Searraich

The water here is properly dark - peaty and still, surrounded by the kind of Highland landscape that makes you understand why people get obsessed with this corner of Scotland. Poll an t-Searraich sits a short drive from Drumnadrochit, tucked away from the main Loch Ness tourist trail, which means you'll likely have the place to yourself.

It's a small loch, maybe a mile across, with moorland rolling down to the water's edge. The attraction is the walk itself more than any specific facilities - there's no visitor centre or car park with a shop, just access to genuinely quiet Highland scenery. The banks are reedy in places, open grass in others. On a clear day the views across to the surrounding hills are decent, though nothing that'll stop your heart.

Walkers will get the most from this one. It's the sort of place you come if you're already exploring the area beyond the main Loch Ness drag - perhaps splitting time between the nearby glamping pods at Highland Premier or Loch Ness Glamping. You're looking at a couple of hours for a proper loop walk, depending on your pace and how much time you spend just standing about appreciating the quiet.

Best visited in the drier months if possible. The moorland gets boggy, and when it's drizzling - which, let's be honest, is often - the atmosphere is brooding rather than inspiring. But that's Highland character for you. Free, obviously. Bring good boots and realistic expectations about being somewhere genuinely remote.