Loch Bad an Féidh

The water here is the sort of dark, still mirror that makes you understand why Scotland gets written about so much. Loch Bad an Féidh sits in proper remote terrain near Strathcarron, the kind of place where you'll likely have the shore entirely to yourself, which is exactly the point.

It's a small loch - you're not talking about Loch Ness sprawl - but the Highland scenery surrounding it makes the most of what's there. Mountains rise sharply on either side, and on a clear day the reflections are genuinely striking. The walk in from the road isn't signposted in the usual way, so you need to know roughly where you're going. That lack of fanfare means fewer people, though it also means less infrastructure.

Walkers will get the most from this spot. There's no visitor centre, no café, nothing except the loch and the landscape. If you're after a proper Highland hike with a wild water backdrop, it's well worth the detour. Families with very young children might find it a bit austere - there's nowhere to shelter if the weather turns, and it's genuinely remote. Photographers, though, will find plenty to work with, especially in the hour before sunset when the light gets low and golden.

Shieldaig Camping & Cabins sits just 1.5 miles away, making this an easy morning walk from your base. There's no fee to visit the loch itself, and you'll need a good pair of boots and a weather eye on the forecast. Allow two to three hours if you're planning to walk the shoreline properly.