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Badenoch and Strathspey is the area in the heart of the Scottish Highlands from Dalwhinnie in the south, Laggan and Loch Laggan in the west and along the line of the mighty River Spey through Newtonmore, Kingussie, Kincraig and Aviemore down to Carrbridge in the northwest and Boat of Garten, Nethybridge and Grantown on Spey in the northeast.
The area's diversity of landscape and magnificent scenery ranges from the high plateau of the Cairngorms at over four thousand feet in height on the one side, to the wild and remote Monadhliath mountains on the other and along the great sweep of the line of the River Spey through moorland and forest in the south to wider agricultural landscapes in the north east.
'Monarch of the Glen' used locations throughout the area, but most of the filming was done in the south of the area, known as Badenoch - a corruption from the somewhat unfortunate Gaelic for 'drowned land'. This is not so much a reflection on the annual rainfall - which is at the very least, far less than Fort William's, for example, but more a consequence of the wide and flat flood plains which extend either side of the River between Laggan and Newtonmore and between Kingussie and KIncraig which, when the River is in flood can turn into giant, if temporary lochs.
The landscapes which add so much to the stunning visual experience of Monarch of the Glen can be experienced by anyone who cares to visit the area - and you never know - with a second series now looking almost certain, you might even bump into one of the stars, or drive round a corner and find a film crew in full swing - experiences which most of us here in Badenoch encountered often during 1999.
Visit the BBC Monarch of the glen site - www.bbc.co.uk
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