Sior Loch

The water here is surprisingly clear for a Scottish loch, and on a decent day you can see right down to the rocky bottom in the shallows. Sior Loch sits quietly in Argyll, just outside Taynuilt, and honestly it punches above its weight for what looks like a modest body of water on the map.

It's the kind of place walkers and photographers actually stumble across rather than plan for - which is probably why it doesn't get rammed. The shoreline is manageable for a proper wander, and if you've got kids, there's enough space to let them burn energy without worrying about steep cliffs or heavy crowds. The views across to the surrounding hills are decent without being dramatic, which somehow makes it feel more real than some of the famous loch circuits nearby.

You can fish here if you're into that, though you'll need to check permissions locally. No facilities to speak of - this isn't a visitor centre situation - so bring what you need. Allow an hour or two depending on how far you fancy walking the shore.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Loch Awe Holiday Park or the camping pods cluster round Loch Awe proper - this makes a cracking half-day outing. It's close enough to reach in ten minutes but far enough away that it feels like you've discovered something. Not Instagram material necessarily, but genuinely lovely if you want a quiet reset in proper Argyll landscape.