Clarack Loch

The water here is dark and still, ringed by Aberdeenshire's rolling moorland - this is Clarack Loch, a proper quiet spot that most visitors to the area completely miss. It's a modest freshwater lake, nothing dramatic, but that's rather the point. You get decent views across the loch toward the distant hills, and there's enough space to walk the shoreline without feeling crowded. Walkers appreciate it most; the paths are gentle and the light changes beautifully across the water depending on the time of day.

Based near Aboyne, it works well as a half-hour detour if you're touring this part of the Highlands, though I wouldn't travel specially for it. The loch itself is free to access - there's no visitor centre or facilities to speak of, which keeps it refreshingly unspoilt but means you need to be self-sufficient. Allow an hour if you fancy a proper walk around it. Families with young children might find it a bit underwhelming; it's more suited to those after a quiet leg-stretch or walkers building a longer route through the area.

The caravan parks nearby - Firbank Park is barely half a mile away, and Aboyne Loch Caravan Park sits just five miles south - make it convenient for a morning outing. Pair it with Aboyne itself, which has more going on, or push further into Deeside toward Ballater. It's the kind of place that rewards low expectations and rewards you with genuine peace.