Deep, clear, and swimming with all sorts of marine life, from porpoises and dolphins to seals and flame shells, Loch Sunart draws a select crowd of kayakers, divers, and picnickers to its forest fringed shores. This long, twisting sea loch sits on Scotland’s rugged west coast, tucked between the Ardnamurchan and Morvern peninsulas, just a splash across the water from the Isle of Mull.

This private, ‘Sea Island’ retreat in the heart of Loch Moidart is owned by Vanessa Branson (and ironically, has patchy WiFi at best). Once home to crofters and later a hunting lodge, it gained literary fame when J.M. Barrie spent summers here in the 1920s, drawing inspiration for Peter Pan. Today, the island offers eight self-catering cottages and a grand country house, all set within 2,000 acres of car-free wilderness. Luggage is delivered on quad bikes, and then you’re left to your own devices to swim in Shoe Bay, walk and read by candlelight, and warm up in the waterfront sauna – an Edwardian hut where the lodge’s fishing equipment was stored.

Approaching Mingary Castle is a deep dive into wilderness. Settled upon a promontory on the West Coast of Ardnamurchan, this is a place rarely explored though romantically picturestuque. The rooms are idyllic, the restaurant even more so. Using the produce harvested locally at the West Ardnamurchan Community Garden, the tastes are just exquisite. 

Crowning its own tidal island in Loch Moidart, Castle Tioram is straight-up atmospheric. Once the stronghold of Clan Ranald, it’s seen sieges, battles, and centuries of Highland drama, before being abandoned in the 18th century. Meander across the causeway at low tide and you’re treated to epic views of the loch, rugged hills, and nearby Eilean Shona.