The Bealach na Ba

There is nothing quite like the legendary Bealach na Ba. There are many spectacular roads in Scotland, but few worth losing your car over, and that is exactly what might happen to you if you try to take your dodgy motor up from Loch Carron and over a rugged fold of mountains to meet the Atlantic again at Applecross – and indeed signs warn off learner drivers and large vehicles. It is a thrilling drive, hefting up 626 metres (2054ft) from sea level deep into the mountains, where a viewpoint offers glimpses of Skye and even the Outer Hebrides. Then the single track curls down the mountainside to the ultra-remote village of Applecross on the eponymous peninsula where the welcoming arms of the Applecross Inn await. A dinner of massive Applecross prawns (langoustines) and a pint of heavy as the sun melts down over Skye will make the drive all worth it.