Mystery is growing over a lone walker who has been reported missing on the remote Cape Wrath trail.
Police were alerted after Catherine Ford failed to arrive at the Cromasaig guesthouse in Kinlochewe last Wednesday.
B&B owner Tom Forrest has been trying to contact Ms Ford ever since without success and has admitted he is concerned for her safety.
Mr Forrest contacted the police the morning after the walker, who is believed to be from the Bridgwater area of Somerset, failed to appear.
He said: “Obviously we are concerned about her. I’ve been trying the number we have for her two or three times a day but it just goes to voicemail every single time.
“As far as I know nobody else in the area has heard anything about her either which makes it especially unusual.
“We’ve had the odd person who has not turned up because it’s taken them longer to get to us than they expected.
“Quite often I drive down and pick people up on the road if it’s getting too late.
“I went out for a look last week but found nothing and nobody, it’s all very unusual.”
Ms Ford is believed to have left Fort William heading north on the challenging trail which runs for nearly 200 miles through the north west of the country.
Unlike other long distance footpaths it is unmarked and walkers are left to choose their own route from Lochaber to the north coast.
Renowned walker and writer Cameron McNeish has described the trail as “the hardest long distance backpacking route in the UK”.
Mr Forrest added: “It’s a huge area from Fort William to the Great Glen and right up here.
“It’s a needle in a haystack job to find one walker. I hope she turns up okay one way or another.”
Police have confirmed that the investigation into Ms Ford’s disappearance is still ongoing and are asking for anyone with information on her whereabouts to get in touch on 101.
Officers have said they are conducting general inquiries and there is no search planned for the walker.