It’s difficult to know exactly what to make of Rob Roy. Sir Walter Scott’s famous fiction painted a rosy outlook of his exploits, making him seem like some clannish Robin Hood. Chroniclers of history ignore the myth and either regard Rob Roy as a brigand and blackmailer, faithful to the Jacobite cause, while others argue that Rob Roy had been wronged and had no option but to live a bandits' life.  As with so many stories the truth may mostly depend on your viewpoint and if, like me, you have no allegiance to either side, then it becomes possible that both accounts can co-exist.  Whatever the real story may be, it cannot be denied that for a short period Robert 'Roy' McGregor (Robert the Red or Rob Roy) was the laird of Inversnaid and the West Highland Way crosses through it. No doubt, if descendants of the Wild McGregors, as they were known -  and I'm sure it didn't mean they had legendary parties  - were still in possession of the land today there would be a paymen

I read on the internet (link here ) that there are potentially over 180 trillion midges in Scotland during an average summer (which in case you’re wondering equates to six hundred million per West Highland Way walker). I mean, it could be a gross over estimate, so maybe there are only 100 trillion midges, which would be much more acceptable. For Buddhists, in particular those whose karma fails to reach the standard for reincarnation as another human, ending up as a biting insect looks a distinct possibility. Head stockings are worn loose this year. Back to the midges, looking on the bright side it’s only the female that bites, so assuming it’s a fifty-fifty split that’s halved the total. But given these numbers, who’s going to take that kind of risk?  Only a lunatic would head off to the heartlands of the midge, the western highlands without protection.  We are not mad but we are individuals, so rather than sheepishly copy each other we have each bought our own protection. I have a can