Lochailort is in one of the most rugged parts of the Scottish Highlands - the Gaelic name for it is 'An Garbh Criochan' which translates as the 'Rough Bounds'. The whole area, with its soaring mountains and complex coastlines, is glacial in origin and this has produced some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

Our mountains rise straight from the sea to just under 3000 feet and are empty of people - you can stride the ridges all day and see no-one, or if the high hills seem too much you can walk through deserted crofting villages and along rocky coastal paths, keeping a lookout in the sky for our Eagles - both Golden and White-tailed Eagles are frequently seen.

From Arisaig, ten miles north of Lochailort you can take a trip on the MV Shearwater to the Small Isles of Eigg, Muck, Rum and Canna and you're quite likely to see whales or porpoises - Minke, Sperm and Killer Whales are all frequently seen in the seas around us.

If you fancy an inland boat trip, take the MV Sileas from Glenfinnan on a seventeen mile trip down Loch Shiel, a cruise through Moidart's human and natural history.

In summer steam train enthusiasts can be treated to the nostalgic sight of the 'Jacobite' as she travels from Fort William to Mallaig and back - and you can join her at Glenfinnan.

Above the main road, alongside the railway line a few hundred yards east of Lochailort is this memorial (left) to Susan McCallum 'for 17 years landlady of Kinlochailort Inn', erected in 1890 by grateful workers building the West Highland Railway.

It's difficult to believe today, looking around our empty hills, but 2,000 men lived in Lochailort to build the railway.

Glenfinnan is also home to a National Trust visitor centre next to the evocative monument to the Highland Rising of 1745 - Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard above the shore of Loch Shiel before fighting his way as far south as Derby. 

Moidart, the area in which Lochailort lies, is one of the last strongholds in Britain for Scottish Wildcats and Pine Martens, and Otters are common.

Golfing enthusiasts will miss a treat if they don't play nine holes at Traigh, arguably the most beautifully-situated course in Britain - non-golfers can explore the astonishing white sand beaches while they're waiting for the golfers to finish.

In season, there are ample opportunities for deer-stalking and fishing in one of the dozens of quiet hill lochs - ask at the Lochailort for details.

Further afield is Fort William, 'Outdoor Capital of Great Britain', with an all-year-round mountain cable car, Ben Nevis (highest mountain Britain), excellent facilities for mountain biking and, for bikers, the highlight of the year - the Six-Day Scottish motorcycle trials.