THE CLUANIE INN, KINTAIL

Stunning Kintail has some of the finest mountaineering country in Scotland, making it fitting that the area also boasts one of the finest mountain pubs. The Cluanie Inn makes an excellent finishing point for numerous beautiful but difficult high-level mountain walks, including the South Glen Shiel ridge. The pain incurred during the ascent of seven Munros is soon forgotten by the time you are tucking into a substantial bowl of sticky toffee pudding.

 THE CLACHAIG INN, GLENCOE

Driving through lovely Glencoe, you cannot help but be overwhelmed by the terrain that surrounds you. However, a far more satisfying way to experience these mountains is to walk their summit ridges, as breathtaking when the rain is horizontal as when the sky is clear and blue. A fantastic end to a day on the nail-biting Aonach Eagach ridge is a drink and a bite to eat in the cosy Clachaig.

 BRIDGE OF ORCHY HOTEL

At the foot of perfect conical Ben Dorain and conveniently placed on the West Highland Way, the Bridge of Orchy Hotel is another gem. The sticky toffee pudding here is again a major incentive to visit.

 KINGSHOUSE HOTEL, GLENCOE

In the shadow of Buachaille Etive Mor, the Kingshouse lies at the apex of Glencoe and Glen Etive, in the heart of some of Scotland's most impressive scenery. At the edge of Rannoch Moor, perhaps the most satisfying way to approach this pub is from the West Highland Way. A day starting at Tyndrum or Bridge of Orchy is a long one, but a bar meal at the Kingshouse is all the more welcome for that.