The Ardnamurchan peninsula is on the remote West Coast of Scotland and is inhabited by less than 2000 people. It measures 50 square miles and is a narrow peninsular it is unpolluted, unhurried and uncrowded. The lighthouse at Ardnamurchan Point is the most westerly part of the British mainland. It is home to thousands of animals including red deer , seals, otters, pine martens and even eagles. The plant life is extraordinary and there are some very rare species.

As you drive towards the Point you have Loch Sunart to your left and this is a beautiful loch full of surprising scenery. At times it will take your breath away as it is a fabulous route through a real remote part of Scotland.

Ardnamurchan may appear, today, to be rather a peaceful, quite and remote corner of Scotland . However, the fact that it is a peninsula on the west coast with poor land access made it ideal for the "power barons" of the past. A base on this peninsula could be a highly important strategic fortification for overseeing activities in Mull , Skye, the Argyll coast and even as far as the Western Isles.

This is why the Vikings landed here and stayed for over 500 years - the names Placaig, Acarsaig, Ormsaig and Grigadale are all Norse in origin.But they were not the first settlers on the peninsula - there is evidence of ancient settlers going back 4,000 years.

The Vikings finally left Ardnamurchan in the mid 13th century having been challenged by a Scot called Somerled. The Vikings, once settlers, now became invaders and their rule came to an end with the assassination of the tyrannical ruler Muchdragon MacRi Lochlunn in 1266. He was slain on the slopes of Ben Hiant by one of his vassals Evun Cleireach. There are a few local landmarks to the north and west of Ben Hiant whose origins come from Evun's name.

When Angus, Lord of the Isles was assassinated in 1490, John MacIan, the new Chief of the MacIans, decided to favour the Crown and King James IV visited the Castle in 1493. However, John MacIan soon fell out of favour but managed to redeem himself and was finally given the lands of Ardnamurchan in 1499 - redeeming himself in the eyes of the Crown but falling out with the other Islanders!

In 1513, King James IV was killed at Flodden leaving a very young son as King. As a result of the Crown's perceived weakness, feuds again enveloped the highlands and islands. Mingary Castle was besieged in 1515 and again in 1517 when it was eventually destroyed by Sir Donald MacDonald of Lochalsh. The Castle was re-built by MacIan but a further battle just south of Craig-an-Airgid (GR 474665) in 1519 put paid to MacIan and his two sons who are buried near this spot.

The MacIans were hunted down and most of them killed in Morvern after a spate of piracy!

In 1628 the Castle passed into the hands of Sir Donald Campbell but nothing of note appears to happen after 1644 although the structure was still inhabited in 1838.

In July 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie landed at Loch nan Uamh near Arisaig and immediately set off for Kinlochmoidart. Being a Hanoverian, Campbell , stronghold, his presence in this parish was not welcome by the local minister in Kilchoan although it was by many of his parishioners. He very quickly broke the news to the Sheriff in Inveraray. Dalilea was the nearest the Bonnie Prince came to Ardnamurchan preferring to hide in the more welcoming realms of Lochaber.

After the '45 rising and to a certain extent, as a result of it, the Highland Clearances took hold in the Highlands and Islands and Ardnamurchan was not spared. In 1828 the townships of Coire-mhuilinn, Skinod, Buarblaig and Tornamona were cleared and in 1853, the Swordle townships.

Glen Coe is a steep-sided valley climbing steadily south east from the village of Glencoe on the sea-loch, Loch Leven. It eventually emerges from its enveloping mountains onto the wet plateau of Rannoch Moor ten miles away and at an altitude of over 1000 feet. It is one of the most famous of Scotlands beautiful glens.

Glencoe is steeped in mystery and horror. Not just for its dramatic location but because of the evil deeds that were commited there in the name of King William III of Orange.

The name probably means narrow glen and for the sheer beauty and majesty of its mountain scenery there is little to beat it anywhere in this world. The north side of the glen is closely hemmed in by the jagged edge of the Aonach Eagach ridge, usually thought to be the most challenging ridge scramble in mainland Scotland.

The south side of lower Glen Coe, is governed by Bidean nam Bian, a huge giant of a mountain that hides behind the trio of butresses that lord over the famous glen. Hidden behind two of these huge rocks lies the high level valley of Allt Coire Gabhail, for many years used by the Glen Coe MacDonalds to hide their cattle, and anyone else's they could get their hands on.

Glencoe is known throughout history for the massacre that took place there at 5 o'clock on the morning of 13 th February 1692, when 38 MacDonalds were murdered, not as history tells you by Campbells but on the authority of the crown.

There were Campbells among the soldiers who massacred the 38 people but this was not a Campbell clan attack.

There had been bad blood between the MacDonald and Campbell clans for many years. The MacDonalds were regarded as thieves and cattle rustlers, by the Campbells and most other clans in that location.

If we go back as far as 1501, then we can asses the conflict between the two clans. In that year the MacDonalds captured a Campbell castle on an island in Loch Awe, and over the following 150 years many minor raids were to follow. These raids included the one in which 30 MacDonalds were caught and hanged in Glen Lyon for being cattle rustlers. In 1646 a MacDonald raid into Glen Lyon led to the deaths of 36 Campbells and Menzies after a wedding. 1685 saw the Atholl Raid, in which Glen Coe MacDonalds laid waste to large parts of Glen Lyon. And in 1689 they burned down Achallader Castle, near Bridge of Orchy, in another skirmish with the Campbells. There was plenty of history between the warring clans before the infamous 13 th of February incident.

So how did the MacDonalds become victims of this massacre you may ask?

William III of Orange wanted to bring the clans into line and In August 1691 he offered to pardon all the Highland clans who had taken up arms against him in the 1689 Jacobite uprising. These included the Glen Coe MacDonalds. The pardon was conditional on their taking an oath of allegiance to him by 1 January 1692.

Clan Chief Alastair MacDonald arrived at Inverlochy (now Fort William) on 31 December 1691, only to find he should have gone instead to Inveraray to take his oath. He eventually got there five days late. As a result, the Glen Coe MacDonalds did not appear on the list of clans who had taken the oath by the deadline.

This had been a deliberate plan by the crown to choose a scapegoat. They wanted a clan to make an example of and the MacDonalds, unfortunately for them were the chosen ones.

As history recalls at 5A.M. on the morning in question a fire was seen on what is now known as signal rock, this started the massacre. There were up to 500 MacDonalds, scattered over the lower reaches of Glen Coe. The massacre was ineptly carried out. Some 38 MacDonalds were killed by the troops, but the sound of the initial gunfire provide ample warning to most, who escaped into the winter mountains. An unknown number subsequently died from exposure. One thing that was in the MacDonalds favor was that people sent to block the mountain escape paths did not make it to them because of the bad weather.

When news of the murder in the glen spread, there was a public outcry and the then Secretary of State for Scotland Sir John Dalrymple, had to resign. The officers who commanded the troops in the glen carried on with their military careers as normal. Camptain Robert Campbell ended his days lying in a gutter in Bruges. This was a fitting tribute to a soldier who had taken part in one of the darkest days in Scottish history.

What offended Highlanders most about Glen Coe was the abuse of the hospitality offered by the MacDonalds to the government troops.

If the crown could cold bloodedly murder people who treated them as guests, what would they do to an enemy?

This was not a Campbell MacDonald issue, Glen Coe had less to do with clan rivalries than it had to do with the government's continuing efforts to suppress the Highlands and its troublesome residents. The orders for the massacre were signed by a Major in Inverlochy, but the action was authorised all the way up to the Secretary of State for Scotland and beyond, probably to the King himself.

Glencoe is a wonderful place to visit, and stay. It is a very mysterious glen and appears to be watching you at all times.

There is a story that on certain nights of the year you can hear the ghostly cries of the people being murdered and thrown into the snow by a cruel enemy.

The Corryvreckan is the third largest whirlpool in the world, and is on the northern side of the gulf, surrounding a pyramid-shaped basalt pinnacle that rises from depths of 70 m to 29 m at its rounded top. Flood tides and inflow from the Firth of Lorne to the west can drive the waters of Corryvreckan to waves of over 30 feet (9 m), and the roar of the resulting maelstrom can be heard ten miles (16 km) away.

The area is currently being considered for Special Area of Conservation status. Minke whales and porpoises swim in the fast-moving waters and only the most resilient plants and corals thrive on the seabed .

In both stories Breachan was swept into the whirlpool, and his body dragged ashore later by his dog. Breachan may be named after the whirlpool, or its current name may be a Gaelic pun on his name. Writing in the 7th century Adamnan called it " Charybdis Brecani".

If ever there was a loch that had everything then I believe this is it Loch Leven in the Highlands. It has outstanding scenery and as you drive round the loch you have the chance on the north side to be virtually at loch level, but when you travel along the south side you are at a considerable height. Do not forget to do this little journey as it is exquisite and it is so easy to just go over the Ballachullish Bridge and forget to go to Kinlochleven.

Loch Leven extends 14 kilometers, varying in width between 200 and 1800 meters. It opens onto Ballachulish Bay, part of Loch Linnhe at its western end. There are seven small islands, some rocky and covered with heather and some just smooth green grass, near the western end of the loch.

The village of Kinlochleven lies at the head of the loch. It originally lay on the road north to Fort William which followed the shores of the loch, but a bridge was built across the mouth of the loch at Ballachulish in 1975.

Loch Lomond is probably the worlds most famous Loch and has been extensively written about, both in song and verse. This area is renowned for its beauty and tranquillity, visited by thousands of tourists every year and offers picture postcard views around every corner.

Just 20 miles from Glasgow it is the start of the highlands and is beautiful no matter what season of the year you visit.

On the Loch there are approximately 38 Islands , some of them inhabited and there is even a Hotel on Inchmurrin.

There are plenty of cruise boats that go up and down the loch from either Tarbet or Balloch, this is a fantastic way to take in the splendour of Loch Lomond .

The Loch is crossed by the Highland Boundary Fault and exhibits the physical characteristics of both highland and Lowland Scotland. Some 200 species of birds and over 25% of Britain 's wild plants have been recorded in the area.

You will never be disapointed with Loch Lomond and please call into Luss and take in this wee village of absolute charm and beauty.

Mallaig is a fishing port situated some 150 miles north of Glasgow, it has roughly 1000 inhabitants and is known as you travel towards Mallaig as The Road to the Isles.

Mallaig was once Europe's busiest herring port although nowadays it is however still a major fishing town landing large catches of prawns and other shellfish. It is also the most westerly harbour on the British mainland and plays a very important role as a lifeboat station for the region.

Some 1500 years ago the area was a buffer zone, It was squeezed between the kingdom of the Picts and the maritime kingdom of the Norsemen. Longships from the Norse gave way to Highland Galleys as the area became part of the Hebridean Lordship of the Isles, and consiquently didn't come under full control until 16 th century of the Scottish Crown.

The area itself retains it's character and it is unique and visitors return regularly to enjoy the splendid coastal and mountain scenery with pure white sandy beaches. Is there any wonder why the railway journey to Mallaig is classed as one of the most spectacular in Europe.

In Mallaig you can board ferries to many of the islands including Skye, Rum Eigg and Muck.

The road north towards Mallaig is a tremendous drive as you pass Arisaig and although still partly a single track road, the views of the seascape are formiddable. Over the turquoise sea and white sandy beaches you see the islands of Eigg and Rum and further north towards Skye. This stretch of coast was used in the film �Local Hero� and is known as the Silver Sands of Morar.

Owing to its remoteness and accessibility the beast in these waters is harder to see. No doubt if we had more visitors there we would have more sightings.Its alleged resident beastie has been dubbed Morag.

This is a journey of unforgetable beauty and you will need plenty of memory on your cameras to film all you see around here.

On the South western tip of Argyll is a peninsular known as The Mull of Kintyre. Probably made more famous in recent times by Paul McCartney's song about the region. Paul lives just outside Campbletown and enjoys how the mist comes rolling in from the sea.

Campbletown is the main town which has a farming and fishing industry although the main industry is the distilling of Whisky. This is home of some of the best whisky in the world, especially the award winning "Springbank.

The coastline is breathtaking at times with large surfs from the Atlantic Ocean hitting the sands and rocks on the coast.

The wide range of wildlife you will find here is astounding. Probably due to the isolation of the area, many species of animals roam freely here and during one short trip nature lovers can expect to see almost as many animals living in their natural habitat as they would find in a zoo.

This area is a paradise for walkers, no matter what skill level you have. You can walk along the beach or stroll through the pristine forests, but the more adventurous can indulge in a strenuous climb on the cliffs and along the rocky shores.

Since August 2006 there is a walk the Kintyre Way from Tarbet to Southend in the south of the peninsular which will take you roughly 4-7 days to complete.

The lochs on the moor are good for trout and the sandy shores and the islets attract interesting birds, such as the black-throated diver, goosander and merganser, while on the heather slopes are curlew and red grouse. Higher up, mountain hares and red deer may be spotted, and with luck, the traveller may see a golden eagle or osprey. Even the boggy stretches are not void of interest. There is an abundance of sweet smelling bog-myrtle and the rare Rannoch Rush can be found, the latter a delicate little plant grown no-where else in Britain .