Scotland’s north-west coast is a land of wind and mountain, sea loch and ragged coastline.

The daunting Bealach na Ba or Pass of the Cattle leads to the remote Applecross Peninsula. This spectacular road often feels vertical to the adventurous driver. It reaches a height of 626 m under the watchful eye of a hill called Sgùrr a' Chaorachain.

Until the 1900s Applecross was only accessible by boat. The name Aporcrosan is one of the oldest known names in Scotland - as much as 1300 years old. It is thought that it derives from the ancient Pictish language meaning 'confluence of the river’.

There are spectacular views from here across to the island of Skye. Beyond the peninsula, lies beautiful Torridon, with its loch and glen of the same Gaelic name. It describes a place where people used to transfer goods from boats to dry land.

The sea is still important today and Ullapool, a main centre, is where travellers take a ferry to Stornoway, in the Western Isles, across a stretch of sea called the Minch..

Further north, is Sutherland. The Vikings called this land Suðrland  or ‘southern land’ even though it is one of the most northerly parts of Scotland. In the past, giants of geological investigation came here to discover and debate what are now known as the oldest rocks in Europe. We can explore the North-West Highlands Geopark and Knockan Crag National Nature Reserve, where with our hands we can literally span aeons of time.

This part of Sutherland is called Assynt. The name is probably Viking for ‘ridge.’ However, according to local legend there was a fight between two brothers called Unt (man of peace) and Ass-Unt ( man of discord). The ‘man of discord’ won and gave his name to this wild place.

The poster-boys of Scottish hills are here - Stac Pollaidh, Quinag, Canisp, Ben More Assynt and Suilven, Scotland’s own ‘Sugar Loaf Mountain.’

This is spectacular country and forms part of the North Coast 500, one of the great road trips of the world.

The difficulty planning a journey to the north-west is where not to go.

But Noost can at least help you make a start.