Boasting the highest mountains in the British Isles, the Highlands contain the most pristine lakes and the wildest islands. Purple and emerald moorland, heather-clad mountain slopes, forests, and sprightly streams where salmon leap offer us a romantic realm for our week of rambling. We walked alongside shimmering lochs and across hillsides where castles stood silhouetted as reminders of long-ago battles between feuding clans. Trails led us westward to the fantastically indented coast and to ferries bound for the islands -- Kerrera, Mull and Ulva -- blue-gray jewels on the near horizon. Upscale amenities (fine hotels and dining) and a wilderness experience might seem incompatible, but for more than a century many walkers have valued their comforts after a day hiking in the hills. The combination of the two is a grand old Highland tradition of the Edwardian sporting gentleman -- one we Virginia Voyagers wholeheartedly embraced.
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