Even at the summit of this favourite ridge above Loch Linnhe lies a rich blanket of peat. For centuries peat bogs were treated as a waste of useful land, treacherous and mysterious, to be drained or dug up for fuel. Now we know they are the most concentrated global store of carbon of all terrestrial ecosystems, storing twice as much as the world’s forests. Here in the Highlands we are rich in peat bogs, with many opportunities to protect, restore and rebuild. We can cherish our bogs and be caretakers for this globally important ecosystem.

From this viewpoint I can glimpse our other treasures: our inshore waters and fragments of the Celtic rainforest.