Upper (Mill) Loch

The water at Upper Mill Loch is surprisingly clear when you arrive on a good day, which catches most visitors off guard. This modest reservoir sits in rolling moorland between Dumfries and the Southern Uplands, offering proper countryside without the crowds you'd find at Loch Ken further south.

It's a working water supply - not a wild loch - so don't expect dramatic cliffs or rare birds. What you get instead is a solid three-mile walk around the perimeter if you're after some gentle exercise, or a decent spot to sit and watch the hills shift colour as the light changes. The surrounding farmland gives it an everyday Scottish feel that's somehow more honest than the postcard lochs further north.

Walkers will get the most from this one. The paths are well-maintained and the circuit takes about ninety minutes at a steady pace. Families with young kids might find forty minutes round the near side enough before boredom sets in. There's no café or facilities that I could find, so bring your own coffee.

If you're based at Burnside of Ae Glamping - a cracking spot about six miles away - this makes an easy morning outing without burning a whole day. It's free to access and there's usually parking space by the dam. Go when the weather's decent; on a grey day it's just a grey loch, and there's not much else pulling you here. But catch it on a clear afternoon with the sun catching the water, and you'll understand why locals keep coming back.