Scotland Peter Irvine’s the best
Lochs we love Scotland is blessed with a huge variety of fresh and sea water lochs, and all are beautiful
Loch Arkaig
An enigmatic loch long renowned for its fishing. From the A82 beyond Spean Bridge (at the Commando Monument) cross the Caledonian Canal, then on by single-track road through the Clunes Forest and the Dark Mile past the Witches’ Pool (a cauldron of dark water below cataracts) to the loch.
Lochs of the Trossachs
The A821 from Callander skirts both Venachar and Achray. Many picnic spots and a fishing centre. Ben Venue and Ben A’an rise above: great walks and views. A one-way forest road goes round the other side of Loch Achray through Achray Forest.
Loch Eriboll
55 miles west of Thurso. The long sea loch
that indents into the North Coast for nine miles and which you drive right round on main A838 (40 mins). Deepest natural anchorage in the UK, exhibiting every aspect of lochside scenery including, alas, fish cages. Ben Hope stands near the head of the loch and there is a perfect beach (my own private Idaho) on the coast. The people who have Mackay’s in nearby Durness now have two luxury, high-spec eco-lodges overlooking the loch at Laid and halfway up the bank is the extraordinary art garden of Lotte Glob.
Loch Morar
43 miles west of Fort William by A850 (a wildly scenic but a smooth route). Morar village is four miles from Mallaig. A singletrack road leads from the coast to the loch then three miles to Bracara. It’s the prettiest part with wooded islets, small beaches, lochside meadows and bobbing boats. The road stops at a turning place but a track continues from Bracorina to Tarbet (seven miles) and it’s possible to connect with a boat and sail back to Mallaig on Loch Nevis. Loch Morar, joined to the coast by the shortest river in Britain, also has the deepest water.
Peter Irvine is the author of the essential travel guide Scotland the Best published by Collins, priced £15.99