Applecross Inn

The Applecross Inn is legendary for its food, craic and location. At the end of the nail-bitingly vertiginous Bealach Na Bà Pass, it’s the highest and one of the hairiest passes in Britain – and a highlight of the famous North Coast 500 road trip. A sign at the bottom reads ‘normally impassable in wintery conditions.’ The less intrepid can curve around the coast from Sheildaig.

Run by Judith Fish MBE since 1989, this whitewashed pub with rooms attracts a steady stream of bikers and campervan holidaymakers ready for a nerve-calming dram (there are over 50 malt whiskies on offer) or a pint of ale from the locally owned Applecross Brewery. Outside, a smattering of picnic tables huddle above a rocky beach with dreamy wide-angle views over to the Isle of Skye and Raasay, while a converted silver airstream caravan (the Inn-Side Out) offers fish and chips, ice cream and coffee to go.

Inside, it’s properly old-school, shabby but not chic: red carpets, orange pine panelling, the bar strung with fairy lights, a large wood-burner. The menu naturally showcases local seafood: Applecross Bay prawns or langoustines swimming in hot, garlicky butter; plump hand-dived scallops; local oysters; smoked salmon and crab. In terms of portion size, read: huge. Haggis flambéed in Drambuie is a plate-scraping show-stealer, while a luxurious special of seafood linguine in Champagne butter sauce is worth the hefty price tag. The menu also includes excellent fish and chunky chips (haddock, of course, as this is Scotland) alongside steaks, burgers, Thai curry and vegetarian chilli. Desserts are in the same vein, huge portions of pub classics ranging from fruit crumble to cranachan, a muddle of fresh raspberries, cream, whisky, oats and meringue.