Loch Leven View Point

The view from Loch Leven View Point stops you dead. Properly stops you. You round the bend near Ballachulish and suddenly there's this vast stretch of water with mountains rising up on either side, and if you're lucky the light hits it just right and the whole thing turns silver. It's the kind of vista that makes you understand why people drive hours into the Highlands.

You don't need much time here - twenty minutes, half an hour if you're the type to sit and stare. There's a lay-by where you can park, and the view is immediate. No walking required, which makes it useful if someone in your group has dodgy knees or you've got restless kids. They might get bored after a bit, mind you, unless you're staying in the area long enough to make a proper afternoon of it.

This works brilliantly if you're based at one of the caravan parks nearby. Invercoe is literally down the road, and Red Squirrel Campsite sits less than two miles away - both solid options for a Highland break. You can knock this off as part of a longer route through Glencoe, or just pop over from your pitch for an evening. Bring a camera because the light changes constantly, especially in autumn when the mountains get moody and dramatic. Free, obviously. No ticket needed. Just you and a loch that's been here rather longer than any of us will be.