  Highly magnetised rapidly spinning neutron stars are widely considered to be
natural sites for acceleration of charged particles. Powerful acceleration
mechanism due to unipolar induction is thought to operate in the magnetospheres
of isolated neutron stars, bringing the particles to ultrarelativistic energies
at the expense of the neutron star rotational energy, with inevitable emission
of high energy photons. The aim of this review is to present basic ingredients
of modern models of magnetospheric activity of rotation powered pulsars in the
context of high-energy radiation from these objects. Several aspects of pulsar
activity are addressed and related to spectacular results of pulsar
observations with two major satellite missions of the past - CGRO and ROSAT. It
is then argued that high sensitivity experiments of the future - GLAST, VERITAS
and MAGIC - will be vital for a progress in our understanding of pulsar
magnetospheric processes. In a conservative approach rotation powered pulsars
are not expected to be the sources of UHE Cosmic Rays. However, several
scenarios have been proposed recently to explain the UHECR events above the GZK
limit with the help of acceleration processes in the immediate surrounding of
newly born pulsars. Major features of these scenarios are reviewed along with
references to contemporary models of magnetospheric activity.
