From Aberdeen, north to Peterhead, then west into the Speyside hills. The main feature of the small town of Fochabers is the Gordon castle and estate. The seat of generations of Dukes of Gordon and Richmond. A long time ago we were enjoying a picnic in the grounds of the estate when a horsey, tweedy woman in green welly boots engaged us in conversation. She showed us a huge salmon that had been caught that morning by her grandson. The salmon was on its way it to the smokehouse. Lady in boots lamented that plans were afoot to lay a motorway across the middle of the estate separating the castle from the village church which houses stained glass windows commemorating generations of her husband’s family. She had already moved on when we jumped to the conclusion that we were now best buddies with the Duchess. Alas, not so. Frederick, the 9^thDuke of Richmond, the racing car driver, was forced to sell the estate back to the crown in 1938, being unable to cope with a double dose of death duties. So, our best buddy’s husband was actually related to Sir George, a non-duke family member who bought back the farm. The farm is now in great shape in the hands of Angus Gordon Lennox and his wife Zara. The eight-acre kitchen garden is one of the largest in the country, supplying quality produce for lunches at the castle cafe. The huge iron pipes in the hot house in the following pic are a relic of a victorian era heating system. A motor way does now divide the estate, but a two lane bridge connects the castle with the church.

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From the south end of Loch Ness the Great Caledonian canal begins its 60 mile and 29 lock journey to Fort William on the west coast. Built as an important freight conduit in the nineteenth cent, it is now a playground for the rich and famous with their fancy toys. In November 2017 a decommissioned Danish naval ship was rescued from a nautical knackers yard by a swish couple with vision, imagination and cash. They commissioned the Talsma shipyard to undertake a major refit of the vessel now named ‘Spirit of Romo’. With a Scottish captain and crew, they are now fully equipped to take a few of their friends in eye-watering luxury anywhere in the world. Today they are simply “Doing the Cal”.

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Along the loch there are signs of civilisation like hairy highland cattle and deer’s antler chandeliers in coffee shops. Struck out and took the scenic route less travelled toward Ullapool. Along the way there are wild misty hills bearing no sign of man or beast. Exactly the sort of place where Tolkien might have planted Bilbo Baggins and friends. Stopping in a little car park to stretch the limbs, noticed a sign warning travellers not to step out of the car park due to “hidden crevices”. Undeterred, we not only stepped out of the car park, but ventured into the wilderness to look down on a hidden stretch of Loch Maree. Serenely unmarked by man, apart from the sign.

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Gairloch on Loch Gairloch (Isn’t that all a bit too tautologous?) is a quaint village where half-hearted commercial fishing sometimes happens. A soft focused sort of place, where a man can muck about on his boat for years on end, high on dry land, with no risk at all of being lost at sea. And removed from the possibility of any domestic involvement whatsoever.

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Ullapool is the main town and harbour in the north west of the mainland and terminal of the ferry to Stornaway on the isle of Lewis. The Caledonian Hotel is the grand old lady prominently overlooking the harbour. In some of the notable fancy tall hotels of the world it is possible to enjoy a pee while admiring the view from on high. In the Ullapool Caledonian the situation is reversed, so that people in the street, if so they cared, could view the hotel client seated on his/her thoughtlessly placed wooden throne, through thoughtlessly open curtains. Such a quiet place that the risk is minimal.

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In Inverness, down in the vault of McGregor’s pub and at the lounge of the Ferry Boat Inn, Ullapool, the folky music sessions are lubricated with beer and whisky. The real thing, utterly non-commercial, anyone can display their skill, and foreigners are rare enough to be welcome

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The Findhorn community continues to grow and flourish. In the cafe there is passion and enthusiasm in the eyes of the residents for a good sustainable life. The building styles vary from quirky to modern high tech eco sensitive. A likely place to follow a dream.