Loch nam Breac Buidhe

The water here is properly still most days, reflecting the Argyll hills like a dark mirror. Loch nam Breac Buidhe sits quiet and unassuming, the sort of place you'd miss if you weren't looking for it - which is rather the point. It's a small freshwater loch, decent for fishing if that's your thing, though most visitors simply come to sit by the water and breathe for a bit.

You won't find much infrastructure or fanfare. There's no visitor centre, no café, no gift shop. Just the loch, the landscape, and the occasional angler casting a line. It's free to visit, naturally, and there's no time pressure - stay five minutes or five hours. The nearest proper settlement is Lochgilphead, about three miles south, which means you can access this without needing to trek far into the back of beyond.

This appeals most to walkers doing a circuit of the area and folk who actually want a quiet moment rather than a staged attraction. It's worth the detour if you're staying at Lochgilphead Caravan Park or The Pod Over By - both close enough for a morning wander. The water itself won't blow your mind, but sometimes that's the whole appeal. You get the Argyll landscape without the crowds you'd find at Loch Awe or Loch Lomond. Go when the midges aren't out, obviously.