From the Cairngorm, one heads west to the very centre of Scotland - indeed, a house in Laggan has a stone outside proclaiming the fact.

From here, old cattle droving tracks head from the north and west Highlands to the sites of the old cattle markets in the south and east - the 'Road to the Isles' being not one particular trail, but any of these old droving roads which heads west. These were also known as 'thieves roads' for the cattle raiding West Highland clans, especially the Lochaber Camerons, would use them to raid the eastern clans. Naturally the 'thieves roads' tended to take the wilder passes and the less populated country than the main drove roads, routes which today give the strong walker magnificent going in wild country, the roadless hinterland around Ben Alder and Rannoch Moor. One does not need to worry these days about theives and bandits; just midges, rain, and ghosts.

At the western end of the moor the road turns a bend and the wonderful sight of a pyramid shaped mountain hoves dramatically into view. This is the Buachaille Etive Mor, acting as a sentinel to the entrance to Glencoe, one of the most scenic parts of Scotland. Glencoe is famous for its steep scenery, its great hillwalking and rock climbing, and its massacre, which was not especially bloody but remains infamous for the treachery involved. Not only did the king in 1690 order some of his own subjects to be killed without trial as an example to other highland clans to 'behave,' the soldiers - commanded by a Campbell - who undertook the dark deed stayed as guests in their victims houses for over a week, eating their food and enjoying their hospitality. It was this which rankled the most with highlanders; hospitality was a sacred duty and privilege in a country with long distances, few inns, and frequent fighting. Feuding clansmen would lay down their arms and there would be peace between guest and host until the guest left - in theory at least. A hotel in Glencoe still shows the sign 'No Hawkers (gypsies) or Campbells'.

The beauty of the country here is perhaps not as great as that further north, although most would disagree; and Glencoe being only an hour and a half's drive from Glasgow, it is very popular with walkers and climbers. Fast flowing, rapid rivers like the Orchy, Etive and Nevis are popular with canoeists and many outdoor sports addicts from southern parts move to this area, despite the lack of jobs - indeed just north of Glencoe lies Fort William, which with its mountains, rivers, lochs, long distance trails, skiing and forest tracks bills itself as the 'outdoor capital of Britain'. Right next to Fort William is Ben Nevis, Britian's highest point at 4416ft (1346m). From the south, or from the tourist track up Ben Nevis, this hill appears to be a massive but dull lump - but from the north, the 2000ft high cliffs of the northeast face are revealed. My personal favourite route to the summit of Ben Nevis starts from Glen Nevis, and heads up the gorge after the road end to the Steall flats and the beautiful Steall waterfall. Another mile up the glen, turn north up a steep stream full of little waterfalls and rockpools to reach a hanging valley. By now you have climbed 700m, but there is still another 700m to go to the summit. A huge curtain wall, the Carn Mor Dearg arete, looms above, with the summit even higher poking up from behind. One starts to appreciate the vertical scale of Glen Nevis, which is a shade greater than anywhere else in Britain (if rather small compared to many other countries in the world). At the top of the hanging glen, one heads up a steep ridge to Carn Mor Dearg, with a grandstand view of the cliffs of Ben Nevis, and then along the narrow arete to the final pull to the summit. And then you are there - the highest point in Britain, with a huge panorama all round. Skye, the Cairngorms, Glencoe, and even Ireland are all visible on a clear day. One should really have a bit of hillwalking experience before undertaking this route, however - the route is pathless after Steall, Ben Nevis receives 4metres of rain a year, is cloud free for only 1/3 of the time and has a treacherous cliff to the south for those who unwittingly stray off the tourist route on the way down in winter.

From Ben Nevis, one heads west to increasingly attractive scenery. The hills become rougher and more complicated, the coast is indented by steepsided, narrow sealochs, and the islands of the Hebrides reveal themselves. This area features strongly in the Jacobite history of the country, for it was here that Bonnie Prince Charlie landed in 1745 and first raised an army to march on London and reclaim the crown for the deposed Stuart dynasty - and it was here he left the country; alive but broken, leaving behind the highlands to their fate.

One does not have to have an eye on history, however. One can simply enjoy the scenery. The whole coast near Mallaig provides a great outlook to the mountainous islands of Rum, Skye, and Eigg, and from the hills along the coast, most notably Rois Bheinn, the panoramas are superb. One is at the end of the 'Road to the Isles,' and one can look forward with anticipation to the Hebrides, the jewels in Scotland's scenic crown.