Not the usual colours to be found in Scotland pictures, but this picture captures Scotland's ever changing landscape. You would not normally associate this vibrant yellow with the rolling fields or hills of Perthshire, but then the landscape is always changing and is not only changed by mother nature, but also by man. We have changed the face of the World with devastating consequences over the centuries and lets face it, there are very few parts of Scotland which have been left untouched. I think it was in the 80's when I first seen a field of Oil Seed Rape and I could not believe the colour, none of your subtle hues of the earth, this is loud, brash, powerful and exciting. Can you imagine laying this colour onto a blank canvas, even a tiny patch would draw the eye, to the exclusion of all else.

I love the county of Perth it embraces both the Highlands and the Lowlands.The city of Perth itself lies just to the south of the Highland fault line and this probably explains why the county has the best of both worlds. From the wilds of Loch Rannoch to the shores of Loch Tay from the heights of Ben Lawers to the rolling fields of Strathearn and of course there is Schiehallion. Schiehallion sits in an isolated position in the centre of the Highlands near Kinloch Rannoch, it is one of the best known Scottish mountains thanks to its striking appearance. From both east and west it appears as a steep conical peak and so to the non hillgoer every pointed hill in Scotland is Schiehallion, "Look Jessie there's Schiehallion " even though he and Jessie are standing waiting on the ferry at Millport.

Its shape brought Schiehallion fame, it earned a place in scientific history and discovery, when experiments - proving gravity and weighing the earth - were carried out on its slopes. So everyone who has ever used a map, should thank Schiehallion for being the inspiration for contour lines.

The John Muir Trust now own the East side of the hill and because of the amount of visitors it gets, the one time path has become an ugly motorway to the top, but the JMT are carrying out extensive repairs and I'm sure with their knowledge and enthusiasm the scar will be healed on the side of Schiehallion.

A personal grouse coming up.

When I started on the hill with the rest of my pals, we bought a map of the area we were going to walk in. There were no guide books and it was not until several years later that we heard of the Munro Tables, but these tables just gave the heights and a grid reference. So when you reached the top, it was a shock to realise that others had been walking up the hill at the same time but obviously coming from a different direction. In other words you started wherever you fancied. Now guide books and writers tell you where to start, which lay-by to park your car in and how many hours it will take you.( don't admire the scenery, the book says three and a half hours, so you will take three and a half hours ) Everyone walks up the same way and down the same way ( I thought the idea was to get away from the crowds ) back to the same lay-by, discussing how long it took them," it took us three, oh? we were only two and three quarters" "did you see the deer?" "Naw" " Ah seen nuthin ma mate always races the book" The police are at the lay-by because the road is blocked by everone trying to park their car in the same place and a massive traffic jam stretches from the Devil's staircase to Bridge of Orchy. Come on! There are many points to a compass try another one next time. Of course the authors of the guide books then appear on the radio and write articles for the newspapers complaining of the erosion in the Scottish hills, what do they expect if they tell the 17,000 or so walkers who visit Schiehallion each year to take the same path. I know that each year sees an increase in the anount of people using the hill and that's great, but the writers could surely suggest a parking spot on the other side of the hill, or will they all get backhanders from the burger vans when they discover this ready made market.

If you are planning a holiday to Scotland you could do worse than pick Perthshire as a base and if you are going to climb a hill please do not go the same way as me and please do not use the same lay-by, and if you see a Robertsons Burger Van please stop and buy one.