Pool of Cluny

The Pool of Cluny sits in a quiet corner of Aberdeenshire, a modest but genuinely peaceful stretch of water that rewards those who bother to find it. You're looking at a small loch surrounded by typical Highland scenery - moorland rather than dramatic peaks, which means it feels properly remote without needing mountaineering boots.

It's the sort of place locals know about and visitors miss, which rather suits it. The walk in takes you past farmland and rough ground, and once you arrive you get a sense that you've earned it - not because the trek is brutal, but because there's something about the effort that makes you appreciate the stillness of the water more. The shoreline has decent banks for sitting and watching, and in autumn or early morning the light here is genuinely lovely.

Families will find it manageable if they've got reasonably confident walkers aged eight and up. Very young children will lose interest quickly unless they're the type obsessed with spotting water birds. Photographers and solitude-seekers will have a far better time. There's nowhere to eat or buy anything once you're there, so bring what you need.

If you're based at Hillhead Caravan Park near Pitfichie, it's a worthwhile half-day outing rather than a full day commitment. Worth the detour if you're keen on quiet corners of the Highlands, less essential if you're short on time. Free to visit, and expect to spend an hour or so properly relaxing here without crowds.