Scottish National Trail aims to link landscape and history

First Minister Alex Salmond has officially launched Scotland's longest walking trail later.

Stretching from Kirk Yetholm in the Borders up to Cape Wrath in Sutherland, the route runs to about 470 miles (756.3km).

Called the Scottish National Trail, it was put together by writer and mountaineer Cameron McNeish.

One of the ideas behind creating the route was to link up different parts of Scotland's landscape and history.

Mr McNeish said the opening of the trail came at a time when Scotland was beginning a "process of re-discovery".

He said: "For some time I have believed passionately that Scotland should have a long-distance trail that ran the length of the country."

Mr Salmond launched the route in Edinburgh.