Puilladobhrain (Pool of the Otter)

The walk down to Puilladobhrain takes you through proper Highland terrain - bracken, heather, the occasional boggy patch underfoot. The Pool of the Otter itself is a dark, still stretch of water fed by a burn, somewhere between Oban and the wilder reaches of Argyll. It's the sort of place where you genuinely might spot an otter, though I'll be honest: I didn't. What you do get is relative solitude and the kind of water that reflects the sky in that particular Scottish way that photographs never quite capture.

This works best for walkers with a bit of patience and binoculars. If you're after dramatic vistas and well-trodden paths, look elsewhere. Children will either find it brilliant - rock-hopping, water-spotting, general mucking about - or will ask "are we nearly there yet?" within ten minutes. There's no cafe, no facilities, no proper car park to speak of. It's free, and it takes about 45 minutes to an hour round trip depending on your pace and how long you linger.

Fits nicely into a wider Argyll fortnight. Oban's close enough for supplies and that cracking seafood, while Argyll Kayaker Cove or Sunnybrae Holiday Park make decent bases if you're doing the area properly. Pair it with coastal walks or a kayak session - the water here is part of what makes this corner work. Not everyone's cup of tea, but if you like your outdoors a touch rougher round the edges, it's worth the detour.