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INTRODUCTION

Located on the northwest fringe of Europe, the remote Scottish Highlands and Islands are one of the continent's most unspoilt, scenic areas, a rugged region of imposing mountain ranges bounded by scattered island groups and wild seas. Shaped over thousands of years by geological faults, scouring glaciers and the hostile weather systems of the North Atlantic, the magnificent land- and seascapes of the region have themselves moulded its rich history, producing some of Europe's best-preserved Stone Age settlements, centuries of warring clansmen, romantic heroes such as Rob Roy and Bonnie Prince Charlie, and the recurring themes of precarious existence and determined survival.

The Highlands - the massed ranks of hills rising to over four thousand feet, and the glens and lochs between them - begin north of the Highland Boundary Fault, a geological divide separating the northern two-thirds of Scotland from its more populous central belt. While for many these bare-topped mountains represent the very essence of Scotland, they are only half the picture. In the west, the soaring peaks are complemented by a savagely indented coastline, where empty beaches and spectacular cliffs are interspersed with patches of unexpectedly lush vegetation. Off the west coast, arrayed like scattered jigsaw pieces, are the Hebrides, whose five hundred wind-swept islands comprise the largest of Scotland's archipelagos. Meanwhile, off the north coast of the mainland lie the fertile, treeless islands of Orkney and, halfway across the North Sea to Norway, the bleak and rugged Shetland islands.

Strictly speaking, the Highland Boundary Fault runs from the Firth of Clyde to Stonehaven, just south of Aberdeen, but its significance goes beyond mere geology. Communication with the rest of Scotland across this geographic divide has always been patchy, and remains difficult in places even today. As a result, the history of the Highlands and Islands is quite distinct from the rest of Scotland, with its deeply embedded clan structure and the influence of Norse rule, which continued in some of the islands until as late as the fifteenth century. And, while the Jacobite defeat at Culloden in 1746 was a blow to Scottish pride, it was an unmitigated disaster for the Highlands and Islands, signalling the destruction of the Highland clan system, and the ultimately the entire Highland way of life. The Clearances that followed in the nineteenth century more than halved the population, and even today the Highland landscape is littered with the crumbling shells of pre-Clearance crofting communities.

The Highlands and Islands remain a sparsely populated area - the largest centre, Inverness, is little more than a large town. In contrast to the rest of Scotland, there is little heavy industry, leaving the economy extremely fragile, with depopulation a constant threat, particularly in the islands. In some cases, only the arrival of settlers from outside the region has stemmed the dwindling numbers. Nowadays, the traditional Highland industries of farming, crofting, fishing and whisky distilling are no longer enough to provide jobs for the younger generation, and have had to be supplemented by forestry, fish-farming and the oil industry. However, all three of these tend to have a detrimental effect on the environment, whose health is of paramount importance to the region's other growth industry, tourism. All in all, it's a tricky juggling act that the region is still stuggling to master, balancing the importance of grabbing new opportunities with the will to maintain traditional values.

Over the last couple of decades, the local economy has been boosted by massive government and European Union subsidies. Such funding has helped kick-start many businesses (not all of them successful), and has greatly improved the transport network. Nevertheless, travelling remains time-consuming: distances on land are greater than elsewhere in the Britain (and there are no motorways), while getting to the islands means coordinating with ferry or plane timetables whilst hoping the weather doesn't intervene and spoil your plans. For the visitor, of course, the difficulty of getting around is no great hardship, as most journeys are accompanied by terrific scenery, and the lack of urgency soon seduces.

The Norse language of Orkney and Shetland has died out, and Gaelic, once the language of the majority of those living in the rest of the Highlands and Islands, is more or less confined to the Hebrides. However, the unique culture and heritage of the region has survived remarkably well, especially traditional music, folklore and literature, all of which continue to be championed enthusiastically, from village pub ceilidhs to dedicated centres. In other aspects too, such as religion and sport, traditions and practices remain distinct from other parts of Scotland.

For most visitors, though, it's the spectacular scenery of peaks, glens and coastline that remains the primary draw. Many also opt for the plentiful and rewarding outdoor activities, particularly hillwalking, though good mountainbiking, canoeing, climbing and skiing can all be enjoyed. Another valuable part of the outdoor experience is the region's natural history, which boasts eagles, puffins, whales, dolphins, red squirrels and snow-white mountain hares, alongside an array of precious indigenous trees, plants and flowers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #122354 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 583 pages

Synopsis
Explore every corner of this unspoilt and dramatic area with the fully-revised fourth edition of the "Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands". From walking along the deserted beaches in South Harris to whale-watching in Mull - inspired by dozens of photos - the 24-page, full-colour introduction highlights all the 'things-not-to-miss'. In addition, there are two, brand-new, 4-page, full-colour inserts: 'Wildlife' and 'Food and Drink'. The guide includes listings of all the top hotels, guest houses and the best places to eat and sample the local whiskies. There is plenty of practical advice for exploring the great 'Scottish' outdoors, from bagging munros to skiing on The Cairngorm mountains. The guide comes complete with maps and plans for the entire region.

Excerpted from Scottish Highlands and Islands: the Rough Guide by Rob Humphreys, Donald Reid. Copyright © 2000. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
Where to go Most visitors come to the Highlands and Islands through the gateway of the Central Belt of Scotland, dominated by the major cities of Glasgow in the west and Edinburgh in the east. The majority of routes into the region connect with these centres at some point, or with those strung along the edge of the Highland fault - Stirling, Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen. None are far from the Highlands: from Glasgow, for example, you can be by the banks of Loch Lomond in less than thirty minutes.

West of Glasgow, a rich mix of mountains and sea can be found in Argyll, the most southwesterly part of the region. Gathered around the long sea-lochs of the Firth of Clyde and the zigzag coastline from the Mull of Kintyre up to the busy port of Oban, Argyll includes a number of Scotland's most accessible islands, including craggy Arran in the Firth of Clyde, Islay, famous for its peaty single malt whiskies and its huge wintering population of geese, and Mull, with its moody volcanic mountains and intriguing off-lying islands, including the spiritual haven of Iona and the geological wonders of Staffa.

East of Argyll, in the heart of Scotland, are the Central Highlands, stretching from the first rise of hills north of the Highland Fault to the Great Glen. Here, in the nineteenth century, the Trossachs' forested slopes and sparkling lochs inspired some of the world's first mass tourism, while Deeside was made famous by Queen Victoria's attachment to its wild beauty. To the north of the region is the huge Cairngorm massif, which has many of Scotland's highest peaks and the Highland's best-organized array of outdoor activities, plus Speyside, a region synonymous with two icons of Scottish leisure: whisky and salmon-fishing.

Cutting a dramatic southwest-northeast swath through northern Scotland is the Great Glen, a string of lochs interlinked by the Caledonian Canal, with the Highlands' two major towns of Fort William and Inverness at either end. Though of limited appeal in their own right, both are useful bases for exploring the Glen, which includes two of Scotland's best-known (if slightly disappointing) sights: Loch Ness, speculative home of the eponymous monster; and Ben Nevis, the very highest of the Highland peaks. You don't have to look hard to find evidence of the thickly layered history of the region: near Inverness is the battlesite of Culloden, where Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite rebellion ended in 1746; on the shores of Loch Ness is Urquhart Castle, one of the most dramatic ruins in the Highlands; and south of Fort William is the beautiful Glen Coe, poignant scene of an infamous seventeenth-century clan massacre.

The Great Glen sees the largest concentration of visitors to the Highlands and Islands, but many also take in the island of Skye - effortlessly reached by a controversial bridge but also, more romantically, by ferry from Mallaig or Glenelg. A deeply indented coastline, dark sea-lochs and the towering Cullin peaks make for some of the west coast's fiercest scenery, good for touring, walking and mountaineering. Beyond Skye, across a body of water known as the Minch, lie the Outer Hebrides or Western Isles, a string of islands forming a barrier between the mainland and the North Atlantic. The largest and most populated of this Gaelic-speaking archipelago is the dual island of Lewis and Harris, where you'll the prehistoric standing stones at Calanais (Callanish), a sight to rival England's Stonehenge. To the south lies the "Long Island" of the Uists, Benbecula and Barra, fringed by an almost uninterrupted series of golden beaches.

Back on the mainland, the wildest and remotest parts of the country are found in the north and northwest Highlands, which include three very different coastlines and a memorable array of landscapes. Along the west coast, the mountain ranges of Torridon and Assynt are most popular with walkers, while the stunning coastal scenery of Wester Ross and its lively main town, Ullapool, make this one of the Highlands' most celebrated corners. The stormy north coast, from Cape Wrath to John O'Groats, harbours a poignant history of villages forcibly cleared in the nineteenth century, as well as the ecological treasure of the flat, boggy Flow Country. The east coast, from the Black Isle immediately north of Inverness to the town of Wick, is often passed over, but offers a rich heritage, including prehistoric remains and memories of fast-disappearing fishing communities.

From Thurso and John O'Groats, boats leave for the cluster of islands that make up the Orkney Islands. By far the most picturesque town here is the port of Stromness, the main point of arrival for those coming by boat, while the capital, Kirkwall, boasts a magnificent medieval cathedral. Further north, now two hundred miles from Aberdeen, are the Shetland Islands, where the bustling and historic harbour at Lerwick shelters craft from every corner of the North Atlantic. Orkney and Shetland, both with a rich Norse heritage, differ not only from each other but are also quite distinct from other islands and the Highlands in both dialect and culture. Far-flung and weather-buffeted, they offer some of the country's wildest scenery, finest birdwatching and stunning archeological remains.