Beauly is a bustling village that should be explored by foot. In the 13th century, Cistercian monks built a priory here, deciding that Beauly was the ideal spot for their secluded meditation and worship. The area’s beauty has even gotten it some royal compliments. In 1564, Mary, Queen of Scots, stopped at Beauly Priory on her way to Easter Ross. Touched by the beauty of the priory, she is reputed to have said in French, “Oui, c’est un beau lieu” (Yes, it is a beautiful place), a pun on the name of the priory.

Beauly’s market square has shops lined with travel rugs or blankets in tartans and check designs in both wool and mohair. You can also stock up on luxurious scarves and sweaters in cashmere and lambswool from well-known brands such as Pringle and Ballentyne. Our genial and witty driver Don regaled us with tales of his childhood in the Trossachs as we drove towards Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve.

Sunshine can never be guaranteed in the Highlands, but visitors over the years have become used to donning wellies and having a great day out, whatever weather comes their way. Luckily for us, there was plenty of sunshine at the nature reserve which is an ancient pine forest overlooking Loch Maree. It is also home to a multitude of spectacular wildlife, including red deer and the golden eagle.

Any holidaymaker with an eye for nature would be overjoyed with the abundance of flora and fauna that the Highlands offer. Spring is the best time to see the many species of wild flowers which bloom in the glens and leafy avenues while among the feathered residents you may find song thrushes, dippers, buzzards, herons and, with luck, a Peregrine falcon or two. Early evenings and early mornings are also the best times to see families of shy badgers or wily country foxes. Don gave us an excellent book on the birds of the Highlands, which we thumbed through trying to identify the birds we saw perched on trees around us.

There was more excitement in store as we took one of the highest roads in Scotland — to Bealach na Ba, the Pass of the Cattle. It is said to be the steepest road in Britain and provides breathtaking views of Alpine grandeur. Don skillfully drove past the hairpin bends and precipitous cliffs which made up the only road linking Applecross with the rest of the country until the late 20th century. Applecross, whose Gaelic name, a’Chomraich, translates as ‘the sanctuary,’ dates back to the building of a monastery by an Irish monk in the area in the seventh century. Today, nothing remains of the ancient monastery of St Maelrubha. Its site is marked by the much more recent Old Parish Church at Craig, built in 1818, near the north side of the bridge over what is now called the River Applecross.

No holiday picture or album of Scotland is complete without a photograph of a hairy Highland cow. They are as much a recognised tourist symbol of Scotland as tartan, heather, kilts and bagpipes. These cows are formidable looking beasts, yet they are known to be peaceful, content and docile. We were fortunate to be able to take snaps of one that was sleeping blissfully in a field a few miles from Applecross. A signboard next to the field said his name was Hamish and that he was 15 years old. Our driver told us that he had once been invited to the inauguration of a superstore as the ‘chief guest’. Sadly, he ate the ribbon after it had been cut!

If you want to take a Highland cow or two home with you to graze the lawn, you can get one at the main markets at Oban in the months of February and October. But be prepared to dig deep into your bank account. A good pedigree Highland bull reportedly costs in the region of £10,000 while a ‘hairy Heilan coo’ may set you back by £5,000.

I decided against getting a Highland cow, but after the feast for the eyes, my stomach wanted pampering. Last stop: a fantastic dinner of grilled salmon rolls at the Isle of Skye under a startlingly pure, pale blue sky.