A pot lands in the middle of the table, neighbours drift in, and a chat that began over lunch carries on well past the last plate. Beyond the door the land rolls in green hills, and each valley has its own crops, its own market day and its own way of telling a story.

Mild highland weather keeps the days comfortable, with two rainy seasons and two drier spells, and the west is cooler and wetter than the east. Between meals, a Local Friend picks the next stop when your plans run out, turning a spare afternoon into a story for home.