Balgavies Loch

The loch itself is modest - a shallow freshwater body ringed by reeds and willow, nothing that'll stop you dead in your tracks. But what makes Balgavies worth the detour from Forfar is the walk around it. The path is manageable, mostly flat, and takes you through proper countryside without feeling remote or isolating.

This is the sort of place where you notice things. Birdwatchers come for the herons and grebes. In spring the water's busy with activity. Families won't get bored if the kids are old enough to manage an hour's ramble without constant stimulation - it's gentle, and there's always something moving on the water to point at. The loch is also historically significant as one of Scotland's oldest documented wildlife sites, though the area looks far more timeless than any plaque could suggest.

Go early on a weekday if you want solitude. Weekends bring the local dog-walkers. Allow an hour for the circuit if you're not stopping, longer if you're serious about spotting birds. Free to visit, no facilities to speak of, so sort yourself out in Forfar first. The nearby Greenhillock Glamping sits just 4.5 miles away - so you could easily build this into a quiet morning before returning for breakfast or lunch. It's the kind of stop that works best when you're not in a hurry, when you've got time to sit on the bank and just watch.