Guide to Walks in North-West Highlands

Book excerpt: The North-West Highlands, including all the Scottish mainland north and west of the Great Glen together with the Isle of Skye, is the last area in Britain that could truthfully be described as genuinely wild. This guide to 24 of the finest walks in this gloriously lonely and often breathtakingly beautiful landscape is aimed, not at climbers, who are already well catered for, but at walkers who wish to enjoy the wild country and, while prepared to tackle rough terrain, do not necessarily have the skills and equipment that may be needed on the higher hills. The walks, which range from 6 to 17 miles (9.5 to 27 km) in length are mostly circular and in all cases begin and end at sites with space for parking and access to public transport. Some of the routes, though by no means all, run through land owned by the National Trust for Scotland. The landscapes through which they pass range from the tightly packed hills and glens of Ardgour, Moidart, and Knoydart in the south to the wild moors of the extreme north over which a few peaks like Suilven, Canisp, and Quinag tower in splendid isolation. Chris Townsend guides his readers with an infectious enthusiasm, sound advice, and knowledgeable observations of the wildlife and geology of the Highlands. The book also includes a glossary of Gaelic and Scots words and a useful information section listing organizations and websites that may be useful to visiting walkers.