#Royal Lochnagar

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[maltrunners]

Royal Lochnagar 16 Year Diageo Special Release 2021

Review by: The Muskox I’m back from another work shift in the wilderness! Going forward, I should actually be able to bring part of my sample collection with me on the road, so I’ll be able to keep reviewing while working (if I don’t fall asleep right after my commute!). For now, I’ll pick up where I left off with another of last year’s Diageo Special Releases. This one comes from the Royal…

[burgersbeers]

Royal Lochnagar

5/5

Beautiful and rich flavour. Truly outstanding spirit.

[thewhiskyphiles]

Royal Lochnagar 26 Years Old 1994 The Sleeping Beauty

Review: Royal Lochnagar 26 Years Old 1994 The Sleeping Beauty auctioned by @whisky_auction for the @scottishballet Endowment Fund. #singlemalt #scotch #whisky #RoyalLochnagar

Royal Lochnagar 26 Years Old 1994 Casks of Distinction #1289 The Sleeping Beauty What they say ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ cask of Royal Lochnagar whisky is awakened after 26 years A unique cask of Royal Lochnagar whisky, laid down in 1994, has now been bottled as part of Diageo’s prestigious Casks of Distinction range.470 bottles will be sold at an auction hosted by online secondary market…

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Morning in the Highlands - the royal family ascending Lochnagar by Carl Haag

[aishatonu]

A Wee Dram: Speyside Whisky Tour

A Wee Dram: Speyside Whisky Tour

I decided to take a whisky distillery tour, not because I’m a whisky drinker—I’m not really—but because I thought I should see how the national drink of Scotland is made.  I’ve spent my entire stay living next to the Holyrood gin distillery—somedays, you could really smell the mash—but I wasn’t that interested in visiting.  But whisky intrigued me, so I signed up for Rabbie’s three-day tour of…

[goodspiritsnewsat]

GSN Spirited News: October 6th 2021 Edition

GSN Spirited News: October 6th 2021 Edition

Wild Turkey has announced Master’s Keep One, the sixth release in the distillery’s limited edition Master’s Keep series. The latest release blends whiskies aged between eight and 10 years with an older, 14-year-old Bourbon, in a collaboration that blends the preferences of master distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell. Jimmy favors 8-10-year-old Bourbon, while Eddie prefers slightly older whiskies.…

[aimeedaisies]

It was thirty years ago today…

With pipers playing a traditional Scottish air, the wedding party emerges from Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral Castle. From the left: the bridegrooms mother, Mrs Barbara Laurence, Commander Tim Laurence, the Princess Royal, the Queen and the brides daughter, Zara Phillips.

The wedding of The Princess Royal and Commander Tim Laurence

HELLO! Number 233 | Published: December 19th 1992 | Article 1/2

Princess Anne's short and simple wedding ceremony turned into a traditional Highland celebration when she and her husband drove through the gates of Balmoral Castle. Estate workers had prepared an open carriage drawn by fell ponies to take the laughing newlyweds up the hill to their reception in the Queen's Scottish home. It was a romantic ending to an intimate country wedding on Royal Deeside.

Just as the bride had wished, it was a quiet, unpretentious affair with only immediate family plus a few close friends and estate workers present. In stark contrast to the grand state occasion of her first marriage at Westminster Abbey 19 years ago, last week's ceremony was consecrated in a tiny granite kirk on a bleak hill in the remote and beautiful landscape beneath Lochnagar.

Outside Crathie Church, a small crowd had gathered by mid-morning in freezing temperatures, five hours before the bride arrived. The groom, smiling nervously, was the first of the bridal party to arrive with his brother Jonathan and best man Charles Barker-Wyatt. Tim Laurence, 37, wearing the uniform of a Royal Navy commander, looked at the sky and told his friend: "The weather is not too bad."

At 2.50pm the Queen, the Queen Mother and Prince Charles arrived in a Land Rover driven by the Duke of York. He gallantly leaped out to help his 92-year-old grandmother when she said: "I can't get down. Can you help me?" He brought a footstool from the back of the car and placed it by her door so that she could step down without difficulty. Next to arrive was Princess Margaret with Anne's son Peter in another Land Rover driven by Prince Edward.

When the bride finally swept into view down the road from the castle the frozen crowd gave her a warm welcome. As her car, driven by her father, the Duke of Edinburgh, slowly crept past, it was possible to see that Anne, 42, was wearing an ivory woollen suit. Her hair, for the first time in years, flowed down her back beneath a small brown hat decorated with freesias, and she carried a small posy of white Highland heather. In the back seat was her only attendant, her 11-year-old daughter Zara Phillips, in a warm red hooded coat.

The princess removed a brown checked shawl she had worn around her shoulders on the half-mile trip from the castle as the car pulled up outside Crathie Kirk. Then, her happiness clear for all to see, she paused at the church door and checked that Zara was right behind her. When the organ music began she turned to her father, took his arm, grinned and said: "Come on."

The ecumenical Church of Scotland service was conducted by the Minister at Crathie, the Reverend Keith Angus, a member of the Queen's Chapel Royal in Scotland.

The bride did not promise to obey. Instead, according to the ritual of the unrevised Church of Scotland Marriage Service, the couple simply pledged to be "faithful and dutiful" to one another. With Zara Phillips standing beside her mother holding her white heather posy, the Reverend Keith Angus told the couple that "marriage was not to be entered upon lightly or inadvisedly, but thoughtfully."

He reminded them that it was also "ordained for the lifelong companionship, help and comfort, which husband and wife ought to have of each other."

At the end of the solemnisation, the couple knelt together before the lona marble communion table at the front of the wood-panelled church. With the princess kneeling to the left of Commander Laurence, the couple both bowed their heads. The Queen and her family, in their own separate annexe, knelt in pine pews at right angles to the main congregation. Friends and estate workers followed suit as the Reverend Keith Angus recited the "favoured" blessing from the Church of Scotland's Book of Common Order.

At the end of the service, the newly married couple walked into the vestry to sign the register privately. And, just 25 minutes after the bride had walked down the aisle, the wedding was over.

Twilight comes early in the Highlands and dusk was creeping through the valleys as the newlyweds emerged from the kirk to the skirl of bagpipes. Two local pipers played a stirring rendition of the old Gaelic tune Mhairi's Wedding.

Two children who live on the estate then came forward to present the bride with bunches of heather before rejoining a dozen other local youngsters given a prime vantage point by the church door.

The beaming bride then beckoned to her daughter to come forward. “Are we all going to come out?" the Queen asked the Duke of Edinburgh, and when he nodded, the whole family joined Mr and Mrs Timothy Laurence outside.

Meanwhile, Princess Anne turned to her new mother-in-law and showed her the flowers and lucky horseshoes presented by the local children. When another guest asked where they came from, Anne indicated the excited crowd of youngsters on her left and said: "Over there."

As the couple received congratulations, the Queen asked: "Where are we going now?" Princess Anne replied: "We will have to wait to have our photographs taken before we go."

Then the bride stepped back into the blue Land Rover Discovery which had brought her to the church and, with Tim Laurence at the wheel, they drove slowly back down the hill and across the River Dee. Back at the church, the Queen walked over to say hello to the children. "Are you still having your Christmas play next week?" she asked. When informed it was still on, she apologised because she would not be able to attend. "I'm so sorry I will be missing it.

Then the whole family climbed back into their cars and followed the bride and groom on the short drive back to the castle. That is when the estate workers welcomed the newlyweds in true Balmoral style.

It has become a royal custom for the residents on the Queen's Scottish estate to mark special events in the family's lives in this way. When Prince Andrew came home a hero from the Falklands War the estate workers also decorated a cart to carry him from the castle gates. And instead of using ponies the locals pulled the open cart themselves. A similar celebration was arranged when Prince Charles and Princess Diana first visited the castle after their marriage.

On the happy day last week, the bride flung a white woollen shawl around her shoulders to keep out the cold on the slow, but fun-filled journey up the private road leading to the castle portico. Inside, the housekeeper was waiting with a real Highland high tea - including the local black bun, a kind of fruit loaf, that all the royals love so much. An hour after the wedding reception began, it was all over, and the guests began heading back along the Deeside Road to Aberdeen airport.

The princess and her husband drove off to spend their brief three-day honeymoon half a mile away at the grey stone Craigowen Lodge beside the Balmoral golf course. There housekeeper, Hazel Essen, had a warm fire waiting in the drawing room grate to welcome them. Then the newlyweds shut out the world to enjoy being man and wife.

It was not the usual kind of royal wedding. But as the bride once said: "I was never the fairytale princess." For the royal family it was a heart-warming occasion, a happy new beginning at the end of a year during which the Queen and her relatives have been beset by troubles.

It was the first time a divorced member of the Queen's immediate family had remarried. And as the Church of England does not sanction the remarriage of divorces, the princess had decided to hold her wedding north of the border where the Church of Scotland does carry out such ceremonies.

The happy result was a gathering of the blood royal members of the Queen's family in their best-loved rural retreat. It was a show of solidarity by the people who love the bride best - her parents, her three brothers and her grandmother.

Far away from the strife that has surrounded them all year, they could have a happy day privately with the spotlight of the media kept at a distance. And the small crowd who had gathered there to wish them well thoroughly approved of the starkly simple ceremony.

Lena Morrison, a nurse from the nearby village of Cairney, summed up the feelings of many when she said: "Now she is getting her second chance at happiness and we are here to show her and her mother - that we love and support them." The loudest cheers of all came when the Queen passed by.

As her annus horribilis drew to an end everyone seemed to be hoping that the New Year would be filled with many more occasions just as happy as her daughter's second wedding.

The newlyweds with the Princess Royal’s two children Zara and Peter (left). Taking their wedding vows the couple pledged to be “faithful and dutiful”. The bride looked radiant in an ivory fitted outfit with her hair worn loose and carefree.

The official wedding portraits. The bride and groom (left). The immediate families (right), back row, left to right: Commander Timothy Laurence, the Princess Royal and the Duke of Edinburgh. Front row, left to right: Peter Phillips, Mrs Barbara Laurence, Zara Phillips and the Queen.

The royal guests arrived in quick succession. Prince Andrew drove the first car with Prince Charles as the front seat passenger, and the Queen and Queen Mother together in the back (left). The bride, with her daughter Zara sitting in the back of the car, was driven to Crathie Kirk by the Duke of Edinburgh (right).

First to arrive was the groom with his best man Charles Barker-Wyatt, a former Navy colleague (left). They waited for a few minutes before going inside the church to wait for the bride who, in keeping with tradition, arrived a few minutes late (right).

The Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Margaret with Zara in the background holding lucky horseshoes given to her mother (left). Prince Andrew and Prince Charles (centre). Reverend Keith Angus and Right Reverend Michael Mann chat to Brigadier Charles Ritchie (below right).

A joyful bride wearing something old - her ivory woollen suit - and something new - her gold wedding ring, pauses for a brief moment at the door of Crathie Church (left). Looking on, a happy Queen Mother and Zara Phillips with the grooms mother Mrs Barbara Laurence (right).

Princess Anne and Commander Tim Laurence step out into their new life together, as delighted family, friends and estate workers crowd around the church door to wish them every happiness for the future. Two local pipers in traditional dress played the Gaelic tune ‘Mhairi’s Wedding’ to greet the newlyweds.

Following the ceremony the Duke of Edinburgh drove the Queen Mother, The Queen and Prince Charles back to Balmoral for the reception (left and centre). Prince Andrew drove Princess Margaret and Prince Edward back from Crathie Church to Balmoral (right). It was cold and dark by the time the royal party arrived at the castle but their spirits were high as they celebrated the Princess Royal’s special day.

As the newlyweds set off for the reception at Balmoral Castle, the crowds who had gathered outside the church wished them a long, happy and healthy future together. The brides posy of white heather was propped on the dashboard of the couples blue Discovery for the short journey (above).

MAIN PHOTOS: NICHOLAS READ/REX FEATURES

REPORT: JUDY WADE

[leifgrandeduchesse]

Group picnic at Lochnagar with the Prince and Princess of Wales, 1868. 🍂

Away, ye gay landscapes, ye gardens of roses!     In you let the minions of luxury rove; Restore me the rocks where the snow-flake reposes,     Though still they are sacred to freedom and love. Yet, Caledonia, beloved are thy mountains,     Round their white summits though elements war; Though cataracts foam 'stead of smooth-flowing fountains,     I sigh for the valley of dark Loch na Garr. - Lord Byron

Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2022

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[encyclopedia-victoria-blog]

“Morning in the Higlands:  The Royal Family ascending Lochnagar“ (1853)

“Evening at Balmoral Castle” (1854)

These two large watercolours (both over a metre long - the equivalent of many similar oil paintings) were commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert from German artist Carl Haag who had stayed with the royal family at Balmoral in 1853. “Morning in the Highlands” was a Christmas gift from Albert to Victoria in 1853, while its companion piece “Evening at Balmoral” was given by Victoria to Albert on his birthday (August 26) in 1854.

 In the “Morning” Prince Albert is depicted leading the royal family on a ride up Lochnagar mountain, while in the “Evening” he presents the stags he had shot that afternoon to the Queen and Prince of Wales. The gillie John Brown stands to the right of the picture, holding a torch.

The two pictures were originally hung together at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

(Royal Collection)

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

The royal family shared this photo of the Queen hiking near Balmoral today as a tribute with the words: "May flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest. In loving memory of Her Majesty The Queen." (Picture: @RoyalFamily)

The royal family has released a previously unseen photo of the Queen after her private burial took place. The photo of the Queen was taken at Balmoral, which is believed to be one of her favourite places in the UK, in 1971 and shows her hiking in the moorlands surrounding the castle in Scotland.

The quote is from Shakespeare's Hamlet, and was said by King Charles in his first address to the nation on the day after the Queen's death.

In Act 5 Scene 2 of William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet’s best friend, Horatio, holds his dying friend in his arms and pays tribute to the Prince of Denmark, saying: “Now cracks a noble heart. Good-night, sweet prince, And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!”

Tuesday mark the start of a period of royal mourning, the King Charles III head to Balmoral Castle in Scotland, his mother’s favourite place. King Charles retreats to Scotland to grieve privately after queen's funeral.

The royal family will observe an extra week of mourning by seeking some time away from the spotlight to grieve privately in Birkhall, the king’s Scottish retreat, located on the Balmoral estate. The queen was known to love her home in Scotland where she enjoyed a summer holiday each year. Birkhall was the home of the then Prince of Wales and Duke of Rothesay (The heir apparent is referred to as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland rather than the Prince of Wales) on the Balmoral estate, Aberdeenshire.

The garden of Birkhall, the Scottish home of the King Charles on the Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire. The sloping lawn is fronted by borders filled with red roses, such as Europeana and Le Mans. Credit: Clive Nichols/Country Life Picture Library

On the death of the Queen Mother in 2002, Birkhall passed to her grandson, Charles, Prince of Wales and Duke of Rothesay, the garden today bears many of her hallmarks, of the native Scottish spirit.

Birkhall, is a special place, particularly because it was made by his grandmother. It is a childhood garden, with the towering mountain of Lochnagar in the far distance.

The photograph is believed to have been taken by Lord Patrick Lichfield, the late Queen's cousin.

#Scotland #Birkhall #Balmoral #mourning #RoyalFamily #HMQueenElizabethII #tribute

[thewhiskyphiles]

Royal Lochnagar 2019 Distillery Exclusive (46%, OB, 5004 Bottles, 2019)

Royal Lochnagar 2019 Distillery Exclusive (46%, OB, 5004 Bottles, 2019) #RoyalLochnagar #singlemalt #scotch #whisky #review

Royal Lochnagar 2019 Distillery Exclusive Whisky Review

ABV: 48%

Age: NAS

Bottling: OB, Diageo

Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky

Cost: £85

Origin: Royal Lochnagar distillery

Vintage: Undeclared

What they say

See press release here:

Royal Lochnagar launches limited edition distillery exclusive bottling for 2019

Official tasting notes:

The nose opens notes of spice, citrus and wood,…

[scenesofscotland]

Testing out my new ND Filter

[anapproachingstorm]

Send “Frisky” for my muses reaction to your muse getting handsy...

Vergil sighed, not for the first time that day and not the last. The last of perhaps a half a dozen different attempts at a coronation outfit had been paraded before him and subsequently dismissed. Nina, to her credit, was the picture of restraint and demure matronly support.

Until the door shut behind the last one.

“At this rate, I’m very near to telling you to go naked,” she said, airily, checking her stitching against the light. Vergil, for his part, scowled.

“Despite the Elder Fallen’s earnest hopes and dreams, I am not my father,” he grumbled, rising and headed for a small side table in his solar. Wine, cheese, grapes, apples, the usual. He poured himself a glass, and continued to complain. “Dressing me in tyrian purple and fervently hoping I decide to wear a monoglass isn’t going to make their dreams come true.”

“Some people may say you are being intentionally difficult in an effort to forestall your crowning, darling,” Nina said, idly pulling thread. Vergil stewed but didn’t deny it. “Not me of course.. But some people. You know all the Elder Fallen have to do down here is gossip, discuss the glory days during the War, and drink Royal Lochnagar neat. If you want my opinion, the third option with the double-breasted vest? To die for. We’ll get it in a blue to match your eyes..”

“You only say that because it’s the Chanel, and Coco has been up your infamously perky rear-end since she hit Hell,” Vergil commented, rolling his eyes.

Nina stood, setting her stitching aside and approached him from the back.

“Dearheart, I know you’re nervous,” she said, taking that rare, though genuine gentle tone. “You’ve wanted this for so long, I don’t blame you. And now it’s here and you’re not quite sure what to do with yourself..”

Vergil’s shoulders relaxed, no longer tense, and he allowed himself a moment to be vulnerable.

“Your father, the sweet fool, had won this realm with a sword and a smile, but you.. sweetest boy, this is yours by right of birth. By conquest, even. You’ve fought for this, you’ve bled for this..”

Vergil didn’t tense when he felt a gentle hand on his back, when normally he’d be on edge. He sighed, heavily, letting his eyes close.

“You’re right,” he muttered.

“Of course I’m right,” Nina said, still soft. “Now, personally? I prefer the Chanel, because you’re not your father, persay, but these..”

Vergil yelped, spine going ramrod straight, as Nina reached around him, her front pressed to his back, and her hands grabbing and squeezing at his chest and pecs.

“These are definitely Sparda’s tits, so you must contend with them or allow an open neckline!”

“GET OFF ME.”

“YOU’RE ONLY CROSS BECAUSE I’M RIGHT!”

[yugopk]

Scotland’s Best Highland and Islands both Weekend Adventures

Eastern Highlands

Lochnagar and Gelder Shiel Stable bothy from Balmoral

Why do it? An adventurous tour of the impressive northeastern Lochnagar corrie from the Gelder Shiel stable, with a grandstand view of the rocks overlooking the loch that gives the mountain its name

Distance 13 miles; 6.5 to 8 hours over two days (in summer)

Rising nobly above Royal Deeside, on the edge of the vast Mounth Plateau, Lochnagar is one of the most famous hills in the Cairngorms. The mountain is the focal point of the southern quarter of this vast protected region, its most important characteristic being an immense amphitheater of fractured granite buttresses which inspired Byron's moving poem in 1807, Lachin Y Gair.

From the Easter crossroads Balmoral (57.0325, -3.2129), head towards the chalets of the domain, through the dark woods of Dubh-chlais, and head towards the grouse heath below Lochnagar. The Gelder Shiel stable is hidden in a small stand of old Caledonian pines, directly opposite a hunting lodge commissioned by Queen Victoria - the three miles will last approximately 90 minutes. Both have bunk beds, a wood stove and an outdoor toilet.

After storing your night bag, take a day bag and set off through the wavy heather-covered moraines that run down from Lochnagar Corrie (the seven-mile round trip will take around five hours). When the track stops abruptly, continue on a weak path which traces a regular route towards the high rocks. Off piste, away from the crowds, you get used to the frightened cries of the black grouse that run to the sky from the undergrowth, and to the sight of hares rushing between the rocks piled up in front of the chick lip. Suddenly, the dark and curved lochan appears, and above him the imposing rocks. The breathtaking scale of the scene is only really evident if there are climbers on the rock wall. Since the beginnings of Scottish mountaineering, the dizzying rocks have attracted a succession of robust mountaineers.

From the flow of Lochnagar burn, climb to the bealach (pass) south of Meikle Pap, looking back at spectacular views of the Chur, which quickly feels a distant world. Now take the well worn trail leading from Glen Muick and cross the cliff edge to the summit, Cac Carn Beag. On a clear day, a splendid panorama takes place: Ben Macdui and the central plateau of Cairngorm are immutable in the northwest, while the enormous whale of Beinn a'Bhùird and the distinctive twists of Ben Avon dominate the horizon above. from Deeside.

To complete the circular walk to Gelder Shiel, descend steeply northwest to a bealach (pass), then follow the stream to Lochnagar creeks and look for the way back to both. Settle in for the night, before quietly returning to Balmoral the next morning.

• Open all year. Contact Yugo.pk (0092-311-1123-359) before planning a trip between September 1 and October 20

Northern Highlands

Suilven and Suileag bothy from Glencanisp Lodge

Why do it? This is one of the most beautiful mountain walks in Scotland, with a stop at Suileag Bothy, under the formidable sandstone foothills of Suilven. There is a magnificent view from the dome of the summit over the rugged peaks and the ribbon lochs of Assynt

Distance 12 miles; 6-8 hours over two days

It's easy to be wowed by one of Assynt's distinctive sandstone peaks, but the striking monolith of Suilven (Sulr Bheinn or Pillar Mountain) and the thrill of its spectacular panorama at the top inspired their fair share of prose, of poetry and song. Scottish bard Norman MacCaig wrote about the work of ascension and the reward of views in his poem Climbing Suilven. Marked in battle by successive waves of glaciation, the hills here are unique in Scotland, listed in its first geopark, which received UNESCO status in 2006. Although guarded by formidable intimidating foothills, the dome of the western summit de Suilven, Caisteal Liath, is much easier to climb than it seems. From the parking lot for walkers on the road to Glencanisp Lodge from Lochinver (58.1463, -5.2182), Suileag bothy is a 3 km hike (about 90 minutes).

Once through the estate buildings, take the stalkers' path just beyond Loch Druim Suardalain and head towards the open moor. The turn towards Suileag bothy is marked by a cairn and appears soon. Named Gaelic for "little eye" or "loop", it is a long one-story stone cottage with an impressive view of Suilven from the front door. There is room for half a dozen people. If you arrive early, reserve a space on one of the platforms for your return after the day.

From both, head towards the foot of the Suilven and climb the steep slope to Bealach Mòr. Anticipation is built as you approach the peak of the summit, and the view does not disappoint. The panoramic profiles of Cùl Mòr, Stac Pollaidh and Ben More Coigach extend to the south, beyond the fascinating curves of Fionn Loch and Loch Sionasgaig, while to the north there are tantalizing glimpses of Foinaven and Ben Hope at beyond the complex crest of Quinag. Turn west through a breach in a dike of dry stones and climb to the dome of the summit, the view of the protected desert widening with each stride. There are a few difficult steps to negotiate, but nothing too difficult. At 731 meters, the summit of Suilven is relatively low, but it strikes well above its weight. Come back triumphantly towards the two, retrace your steps along the slope and settle down for a night by the traffic light (the round trip of seven miles should take around five hours) or continue to the parking lot if you return home. you. Whatever the weather, it's an unforgettable expedition.

Inner Hebrides

Jura’s remote coastal bothies, Cruib and Ruantallain

Why do it? This three-day round trip takes two magnificent allies along the isolated and uncompromising north shore of Loch Tarbert in the Jura. A haven for wildlife, one of the most beautiful landscapes in Scotland

Distance 17 miles; 12 hours a day

The west-facing Jura coastline has been carved into a procession of quartzite cliffs, caves and raised beaches that are as distant and inaccessible as in Scotland. A world away from Glasgow, but barely 80 kilometers as the crow flies, it is home to a large population of red deer and wild goats roaming the open moor. Golden eagles and buzzards soar, and otters and gray seals share rocky skerries. Crossing this wild coastline is a real journey of discovery.

Arriving on the small vehicle ferry from Port Askaig on neighboring Islay, follow the A846 round to Craighouse, and pass the broken slopes of the Paps du Jura, through the small hamlet of Tarbert. Park in the little layby just beyond a stand of conifers above Tarbert Bay (55.9787, -5.8397). From Monday to Saturday, a regular Feolin Ferry bus stops on request.

Head west across the mudflats out of Loch Tarbert, and negotiate a patchwork of peat bogs and tussock to the coast, using intermittent deer trails. The Jura takes its name from the old Norse for "the island of deer" - and the local herd is much more numerous than humans. Finally, spy on Cruib bothy, in the corner of a secret cove, about three hours after your departure (the walk is 3¾ miles). Expertly renovated in 2012, the common room of the two would not seem out of place in a youth hostel, with a sleeping platform, armchairs and a raised library above the fireplace.

Well rested, took a circular day trip to Ruantallain Bothy. Take a trail leading west over the moor to the headland, where the two are behind a low bluff in a breathtaking location. The view to the south is framed by Loch Tarbert and the Paps du Jura, and from the point there is a rare view of Colonsay, the last stop before Newfoundland. Wildlife is abundant. Along with red deer and wild goats, otters and gray seals are regular visitors, and cormorants and cormorants roost on the rocks.

Ruantallain (55.9772, -6.0004) is a return to a bygone era, crammed with old furniture and dishes left in the 1950s and lit only by a small window facing south. You can also stay here overnight, but it's much easier to explore the coast without a hitch with a heavy backpack. Return to Cruib via the coast, allowing time to explore the many hidden caves and raised beaches (allow six hours for the 9½ mile round trip). After a second night, reluctantly return to civilization.

Western Highlands

Knoydart and the Rough Bounds via Sourlies bothy

Why do it? This is a daring expedition through a beautiful hiking country, with an overnight stop at Sourlies, one of the two most popular in Scotland. And this isolated and rugged terrain is accessible via public transportation

Distance 27 miles; 5 hours over two / three days

Renowned for its steep peaks, deep lochs and rugged, rugged terrain, the Rough Bounds has some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in Scotland. And by coincidence, it also has the highest concentration of two countries in the country. There are several possible passageways connecting these remote shelters, but this expedition is the group's choice.

Accessible only by boat or on foot, the small village of Inverie, on the west shore of the Knoydart peninsula, exudes a unique atmosphere. Arriving by ferry from the Mallaig rail terminal, leave the day trippers behind and cross the village past the tempting pub (the Old Forge is perhaps the most distant hotel in mainland Britain) and exit in the open valley. Now head along the Inverie River to Gleann Meadail, at the top of the saddle and down to the ghostly ruin of Carnoch.

Loch Nevis is soon close at hand, where an obvious path climbs to higher ground and then descends to Sourlies Bothy (56.9935, -5.5190), above the mud flats at the head of the loch (the 9¼ miles will take approximately six hours to finish). After the hard-won walk, there is a real feeling of satisfaction when you soak up a fjord landscape that could be Norway or New Zealand.

This Bothy is justifiably popular, though it is only a small one-room hideaway, so in the summer be prepared to camp just outside.

If you hope to take the evening train from Glenfinnan, you must stop in the morning. From Sourlies, head to the Glen Dessarry watershed and descend to A’Chuil bothy nestled under a coniferous cover on the other side of the valley (allow four hours for the five-mile hike). You could spend the night here, or just take a well-deserved rest.

Continue to Glen Pean and climb to Bealach a ’Chaorainn. Get off abruptly at Corryhully bothy for a final pit stop. A few hundred meters before the main road, pass under the Glenfinnan viaduct (better known today as the Harry Potter bridge) and continue to Glenfinnan station (about 13 miles and seven hours from Sourlies), admiring the view of the north end of Loch Sheil.

Back on the train, you feel a real sense of accomplishment. Walking is difficult for one night / two days, but using A’Chuil bothy means that it can become a two night / three-day adventure.

Central Highlands

Rannoch station to Corrour station via Ben Alder Cottage

Why do it? This is a classic two-day expedition through the vast highlands of the central Highlands, spending the night in the atmosphere and reputed to be haunted by both Ben Alder Cottage

Distance 18.5 miles; 9-11 hours over two days

Since the 1920s, stravaigers and walkers have sought solitude in the empty quarter of the sprawling Grampian Mountains, bounded by the West Highland Railway and the route over the Drumochter Pass from Blair Atholl to Aviemore. Dominated by the Ben Alder plateau and the long muscular arm of Loch Ericht, this remote region is distinguished by the absence of public roads, houses or people. This exceptional weekend expedition takes you to the heart of this wilderness, using consecutive stops on the railway line.

Above a semicircular bay by the lake, Ben Alder Cottage has long had a reputation for being haunted, although this has not affected its popularity. Both are very comfortable, with bunk beds in a separate dormitory, as well as sleeping platforms in the two common rooms.

From Rannoch station there is a minibus to reserve for the six-mile route along the B846 to the start of the walk: a marked forest tracks half a mile past the bend to the bridge. Gaur (56.6866, -4.4399). Heading towards the freshly scented spruce and towards the open moor, you quickly get your first glimpse of the wavy plateau covered with granite in the distance. This view becomes even more impressive when you reach the southern edge of Loch Ericht and begin the journey along the shore to both. When the trail stops, continue on an obvious path that winds above the water's edge before cutting inland to a rocky mound, An Grianan. A little further, cross the Alder Burn via a footbridge to arrive at Bothy. Ben Alder Cottage sits in the shadow of the mountain, an encouraging sight after a few hours of solid walking (expect the 8½ miles to take about five hours).

The cottage was originally named for the deer forester Joseph McCook, who lived here with his family at the turn of the 20th century. Once retired, the chief stalker concocted terrifying stories in an attempt to scare off unwanted visitors who took refuge in the empty building. Although the stories have no factual basis, many threads of seeing or hearing a ghost have been embellished over the years, even by luminaries such as climber and author WH Murray, who has told a story of the mysterious scratching. of studded boots outside the cottage in his book Undiscovered Scotland.

After (hopefully) a good night's sleep, the walk will take you to Corrour station for an evening train - allow six hours to cover the 16 kilometers. First, go up the stalkers' path to the pass on the southern flank of the plateau and descend to the Uisge Labhair river, which is clearly visible. After crossing the river, follow an obvious path to the magnificent tree-lined Loch Ossian. Continue around the loch and continue to the station. The warm embrace of the Station House café is a great reward for your efforts (open from the end of March to the end of October) before taking your train.

• Open all year round with unlimited access. During deer control (mid-August to February 15), respect the trails if possible and use prominent ridges to access the hilltops.

Both are open shelters with no reservation system or caretaker. Just show up with all the items you would take with you when camping, plus candles and fuel for the fire. Both have no facilities (gas, electricity or tap), but with a little initiative can become a comfortable home. Many have sleeping platforms and wood stoves. Use fast-flowing streams for water. Mountain walking in winter requires specialized equipment and experience. For the uninitiated, it is essential to attend a winter skills class before attempting unguided hikes. Before you embark on any of these routes, consider the forecasts. Weather conditions can deteriorate quickly, making navigation particularly difficult, especially in winter.