Camault Muir Service Reservoir

Water reflects sky in that particular way that only Scottish reservoirs manage - flat and grey-blue, hemmed in by hillside. Camault Muir Service Reservoir sits just outside Beauly, accessible enough for a proper walk but remote enough to feel like an escape from the A82 traffic.

It's a working reservoir rather than a tourist attraction with facilities, which means you get the landscape without the crowds. The walk around it takes a couple of hours depending on which path you fancy, and the moorland setting means you can breathe out here. Walkers will appreciate it genuinely. Families with younger kids might find it a bit underwhelming on its own - it's scenery, not a destination with activities. That said, if you're basing yourself at Highland Premier Glamping Pods just down the road, it's an excellent way to stretch your legs between breakfast and lunch.

Go in spring or early autumn when the light's proper and you won't roast on the exposed ground. Summer midges are a consideration. Winter's fine too if you don't mind the grey.

The Highlands have no shortage of lochs and water, which is the honest truth - this reservoir isn't dramatically different from what you'll see elsewhere. But it makes sense as part of a bigger walking day around the Beauly area, especially when you've got Loch Ness Glamping or Beauly Holiday Park as your base. Free access, no hassle, no crowds. Sometimes that's exactly what you need.