Nature created the Ochil Hills in Perthshire around 400 million years ago, while the world was still being formed. Layers of red sandstone and basalt form these ancient hills and act as a natural filter for the fresh rainwater which, having fallen on the heather clad slopes, take as long as 30 years to reach the source of Highland Spring. As it passes through the thousands of fissures in the layers of rock it naturally absorbs minerals and becomes wholesome water. The pure water from the Ochil Hills has long been held in high regard. King James IV of Scotland ordered that celebration ale for his Coronation in 1488 should be made from ‘Blackford water’. In 1979 the company was formed to harvest these historic spring waters and is now the largest producer of bottled water in Britain. Today pure Highland Spring natural mineral water flows from its source deep below the Ochil Hills and is exported to 40 countries around the world. And as sole supplier of bottled natural mineral water to British Airways worldwide, passengers consume more than a million bottles of Highland Spring a year. Dedicated to total quality management and the protection of the environment, Highland Spring maintains an extensive conservation area around its boreholes in the Ochil Hills. No farming, pesticides, fertilisers, animal husbandry or habitation is permitted within the catchment area. This commitment to product quality guarantees the exceptional purity and taste of our water and explains why Highland Spring is universally recognised as one of the finest waters in the world.