Book excerpt: From Inverness to the Outer Hebrides and Shetland, this guide reveals some of the last wildernesses of Europe. The guide features all sides of the Highlands and Islands, exploring both the tourist honey-traps and Scotland¿s most remote regions. It highlights thriving traditions such as caber-tossing, Ceilidh music and story-telling, alongside the history of clans, tartans, and the Highland Clearances. The author¿s intimate knowledge of Highland life provides a unique insight into the region, its people, and their culture and beliefs; she offers sound advice as only an insider could. The guide also packs in a wealth of essential and up-to-date practical information, the latest listings, extensive maps and travel timetables, and expert advice on where to ski, walk, windsurf, fish, and star-gaze.