Highlands

Actor Martin Compston and his good friend Phil MacHugh set off on a sporty exploration of the north of Scotland by taking part in their very own Highland Games.

They begin their journey at Britain’s most northerly racetrack, the Little Ferry Circuit in Golspie, home to the North of Scotland Kart Club. Here, they meet ex-racer Abi Munro and discover how the track plays a major part in the lives of the local community. Then, the boys don their racing overalls and go head-to-head in a karting time trial.

Next, it’s off to Invergordon, in the shadow of the colossal oil rigs that line the coastline, to meet two contemporary giants of the Highlands, the Stoltman brothers. Tom is World’s Strongest Man two years running, and his older brother Luke is an ex-European champion, and they’re going to put the boys through a typical strongman workout, but only after a bracing dip in the North Sea. And it’s not all about the brawn, as the mighty strongmen reveal an unexpectedly emotional side.

Martin and Phil then head to the capital of the Highlands, Inverness, to fuel their aching bodies with lunch - with a twist. They pop into the Alleycat Restaurant to meet chef and owner Andrew Bartlett and savour his vegan versions of some well-loved local scran.

Then, sticks at the ready, they take to the pitch to face each other with the Inverness Under-17 shinty team. The boys, under the watchful eye of ex-Scotland captain and manager Drew MacNeil, get a crash course in the art and history of shinty playing in the Highlands.