Redcastle view point

The view from Redcastle is one of those stops that makes you pull over without thinking twice. You're looking across the Beauly Firth towards the Black Isle, and on a clear day the light does something properly magical across the water. The castle itself - a ruin perched on a promontory - gives the viewpoint its name, though what you're really here for is the panorama.

It's a straightforward spot, no fancy facilities or paid entry. Just you, the view, and whatever the Highland weather throws at you. Ten minutes, twenty if you're the type to sit and actually take it in. The walk down is manageable, though the paths can be muddy after rain.

Families with younger kids might find it a bit anticlimactic - there's no playground or visitor centre, just the view itself. But if you're into landscape photography or you simply want to understand why people bang on about Highland scenery, this delivers. History buffs will appreciate the castle remnants, though there's not much interpretation on site.

Redcastle fits nicely into a loop north of Inverness. Beauly Holiday Park sits just four miles away, making it an easy detour during a park-based holiday. Dingwall Camping and Caravanning Club Site is slightly further but equally convenient. Hit this on a morning run before the light gets flat, or catch the golden hour on the way back from exploring the Black Isle. Worth twenty minutes of your time.