2020 has been a difficult year, and many Brits are looking to recuperate within our own borders. What could be freer than hopping in a car and driving into the great outdoors? While international travel begins to recover – keep an eye on our updated-daily Coronavirus travel page – consider a closer-to-home trip to one of these most beautiful lakes in the UK.
Best lakes in the UK for family trips
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Loch Ness, Scotland
Loch Ness is one of the most famous lakes in the world, and not just for its eponymous monster. This seriously deep body of water is Scotland’s biggest by volume, containing more water than all of the lakes in England and Wales combined. In some places it reaches depths of 230 metres – that means it could submerge London’s Heron Tower, the biggest in the City. Who’s to say it couldn’t be home to a long-necked marine monster, too? Hunt for Nessie on the Loch Ness 360 Trail, a walking, running and cycling route that circumnavigates the lake and takes in accommodation, campsites and restaurants en route. You can even get a closer look at the mirror-like water – and whatever lies beneath – on a paddle boarding or canoe safari.
Best lakes in the UK for swimming
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Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye
Okay, this remote oasis in the Inner Hebrides isn’t technically a lake. But we had to include the Fairy Pools for their ice-blue, crystal-clear waters, tailormade for a wild swimmer that can brave the cold temperatures. Waterfalls plunge into the mountain-surrounded pools, whose smooth, pebbled floor can be seen through the glass-like water. Though popular with visitors to Scotland, it’s a bit of a trek (around 40 minutes) from the village of Carbost and along the River Brittle, before you reach your watery reward. At least it’ll get the blood pumping before that first, icy-cold dunk.
Best lakes in the UK for spotting wildlife
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Loch Lomond, Scotland
This 24-mile long lake is popular with visitors because it’s just a 14-mile drive from Glasgow, meaning easy accessibility and amenities, like a golf club and easy-to-navigate cycle trails and footpaths. Synonymous with Scottish beauty, Loch Lomond has not only been the setting of an Oasis gig in the 90s, but also inspired Sir Walter Scott’s poem The Lady of the Lake and one of Scotland’s most famous songs: The Bonnie Banks o’Loch Lomond. But its greatest draw of all might be its wildlife, protected within the Trossachs National Park. Majestic golden eagles soar overhead, otters peek their heads out along the water’s edge, red deer gather and elusive red squirrels scamper. There’s even a colony of wallabies on Inchconnachan, one of Loch Lomond’s many islands…
To read the full article, view the original post on the UK’s best lakes on the Skyscanner website.