Two Scottish spots named among ‘world’s most picturesque lakes’

view of a scottish lake under blue skies with white clouds in summertime, loch lomond, argyll bute, scotland, uk, europe
‘World’s most picturesque lakes’ namedBy Eve Livesey/Getty Images

Lakes can provide endless hours of enjoyment and satisfaction – from wild swimming and paddle boarding, to offering a fabulous hiking backdrop or a relaxing space for solitude and fresh air.

But a brand new study proves you don't have to fly halfway around the world to enjoy the very best. In fact, two of the 'most picturesque lakes in the world' are at our doorstep.

The research looked at Instagram data to create a shortlist of the top 10 aesthetically-pleasing lakes around the world – and two Scottish spots feature in the rankings.

While the USA's Lake Tahoe, Europe's Bodensee, and Italy's Lake Como scoop the top three positions, two Scottish lochs come in at number eight and nine.

Taking eighth position, as the first of only two Great British lakes on the list, is Loch Lomond.

Less than an hour’s drive from Glasgow, there are plenty of great boat tours, allowing you to leisurely take in the stunning surroundings. The ‘bonnie banks of Loch Lomond’ are also ideal for cycling, walking or hiking – while being able to paddle board, swim or simply dip your toes in the water, attracts millions of visitors from all over the world each year.

loch lomond is the largest freshwater lake in britain and is part of the boundary between lowland and highland scotland the loch and mountain are part of the loch lomond and the trossachs national park ben lomond 3196 ft974 m is the most southerly of the munros the viewpoint is from the village of luss
Peter Meade/Getty Images

And if you were wondering what the other Scottish lake could be, it might just be the most famous – or infamous – of all: Loch Ness. While we can’t guarantee you’ll spot Nessie, it rounds out the top 10 at number nine.

Located about half an hour’s drive from Inverness, Loch Ness is actually the largest Scottish loch by volume. In fact, it contains more water than all of the English and Welsh lakes put together.

It’s a great spot to head to if you’re looking for a bit of seclusion, as even on the busiest and warmest days of summer you’ll still be able to find a quiet spot to take it all in.

view of the loch ness, in scotland, united kingdom
Tiago_Fernandez/Getty Images

The 10 most picturesque lakes in the world

  1. Lake Tahoe, USA

  2. Bodensee, Germany/Austria/Switzerland

  3. Lake Como, Italy

  4. Lake Garda, Italy

  5. Lake Louise, Canada

  6. Lake Superior, USA

  7. West Lake, China

  8. Loch Lomond, Scotland

  9. Loch Ness, Scotland

  10. Lago di Braies, Italy

So if you’ve been thinking about exploring more of Scotland on your next UK staycation, or want to reconnect with nature more generally, you’ll certainly want to pay both of these a visit.

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