Run of the moors, run of the hills

And like that to school at summer's end

Us being children of five years of age

Without a word of English in our heads

That's my literal translation anyway.

I was talking to an American yesterday who couldn't understand the concept of the Highlands yesterday. His whole idea was of a place presented magically but with little more than funny accents in it.

I tried to get over to him all the history of suppression, eviction, lack of economic development etc... but the big one is cultural. If the Highlands lose their culture (and they already have largely) then they are indistinguishable from anywhere else.