North west Scotland was even more stunning than I remembered it from three …

I’d always planned to go back to north west Scotland but, somehow, 32 years slipped by.

Children were born and grew up. Jobs and houses came and went. I saw some of the world along the way but even the most exotic scenery never quite matched the impact of a slow drive south from the very top of Britain back in 1982.

Deliberately choosing the smallest and steepest routes along the coast, we were rewarded with views of astonishing beauty. All under perfect blue skies too. That kind of luck with the weather might not be allowed twice in one lifetime!

But I wanted to show that landscape to my girlfriend Flo on her first trip north of the border. So we flew to Inverness, picked up a hire car and made our first stop at the lochside village of Plockton, which has the kind of clear light that artists love.

That whimsical 90s TV series Hamish Macbeth was filmed here too. From a waterfront beer garden at the Plockton Hotel you can sit under a palm tree and drink in the view. plockton.com

A short diversion took us to the restored 13th Century tower of Eilean Donan castle, recognisable from a million tins of shortbread, a thousand paintings and as the ­Scottish base for MI6 in the Bond film The World Is Not Enough.

By now sheets of rain were blasting across Loch Duich. It looked like my three decades of pessimism about the Highland weather might be justified. I could imagine drying out by a log fire inside the castle’s baronial hall. But time was pressing so we saved the £6.50 entry fee and kept going to the Isle of Skye. eileandonancastle.com

In 1982 you took a ferry to reach Skye. Now you can drive across a gracefully curving road bridge and in no time at all we were on the winding single-track road towards the port of Elgol.

At Coruisk House on the edge of the village our hostess Clare greeted us with good news about the weather forecast. But we soon forgot the rain as we settled in. This restaurant with rooms is the most stylish, welcoming place you can imagine.

Clare and partner Ian were both London lawyers who fell in love with the area and came back to make a new life, crafting a little piece of paradise for guests and diners.

Ian retrained as a chef in his spare time and his meals are beyond superb. For an out-of-the-way location on a far-flung island it’s remarkable how far in advance their tables are booked up.

The next morning dawned bright but grey and from Elgol’s harbour we gazed across Loch Scavaig to the towering Cuillen mountains. Two rival boat firms will take you fishing, whale and dolphin spotting or small-island-hopping from here. We drove a short way north then walked down to Loch Slapin via a lush green valley with a rushing steam.

At the bluebell-filled Old Kilmarie graveyard nearly every headstone bears the local name Mackinnon, testament to the local clan heritage. We learned more about at Dunvegan Castle, home of the Chiefs of the Clan MacLeod for 800 years.

Its most bizarre display is a set of stays (corsets) once owned by Jacobite heroine Flora MacDonald, who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape “over the sea to Skye” in 1746. After a glimpse of the legendary lingerie we took a boat trip with a guide (£6 each) and got close to scores of curious but untroubled seals. www.dunvegancastle.com

Next day we had lunch in the island capital of Portree at the Cafe Arriba, with bay views, a quirky menu and a friendly welcome. cafearriba.co.uk

Our route from Portree took us past a rock formation called The Storr, whose three pinnacles are Skye’s most famous view. Back on the mainland at Durness in the far north we stayed at The Rooms, an elegant small hotel owned and run with warmth and ­efficiency by Fiona and Robbie Mackay, an enterprising young couple who also run self-catering ­properties nearby. visitdurness.com

The main attraction in Durness is the beach, which has golden sand, jagged rocks and surfer-friendly waves. It’s a natural adventure playground and I felt a pang of regret I never came back while my children were young.

Next came an expedition to the Cape Wrath lighthouse. You cross the wide Kyle of Durness by motor-boat and take a bumpy minibus ride to arrive at the very north-west tip of Britain – a far more impressive and atmospheric place than touristy John O’Groats to the east.

Finally, it was time to recreate that memorable 1982 drive and we set off south hoping the weather would improve. As we turned west at Kylescu the sky was bright, if still grey.

The route around this coast is entirely single-track, with scary blind bends and giddying drops. You have to keep stopping to get sheep out of your way and to appreciate the views.

At the village of Drumbeg a fairytale vista of tiny lochs and green velvet hills opens up before you. Just as we got there the weather turned dark and overcast. Oh no.

But then, a few miles on, a miracle happened. A whole sky full of grey clouds vanished in an instant and as we reached the Point of Stoer lighthouse there was nothing above us but the deep blue heavens and bright sunshine.

After 32 years this magnificent landscape had given me goosebumps all over again.

Travel file

When to go: May or September will give you a good chance of dry weather while avoiding the summer-time menace of Scottish midges.

Getting around: Car hire at Inverness Airport from £100 a week. holidayautos.co.uk

Top tip: Keep your fuel tank topped up. Filling stations are almost extinct away from towns.

What to buy: Premium malt whisky from the Isle of Skye Emporium Whisky Shop in Portree. Browse the shelves in advance on Google Street View. Or buy pies to send by post from the world- renowned Lochinver Larder. piesbypost.co.uk

Getting there: EasyJet flies to Inverness from Bristol, Luton and Gatwick from £28 one- way. easyjet.com

Where to stay: Double rooms at Coruisk House, Skye, from £120 per night. Restaurant main courses from £20. coruiskhouse. com. Doubles at The Rooms, Durness from £110. http://www.visitdurness.com/

Find out more: Tourist info and more accommodation options. visitscotland.com

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