Where is Ullapool?
This delightful village that we are lucky enough to call our home, has around 1500 inhabitants and is a very popular stop-off point for people visiting the highlands and driving on the NC500. It is becoming more usual for visitors to spend more than one day in the village as it’s a great base for exploring the wonderful surroundings and the Top 5 Things you should not miss in Ullapool.
Fishing has played a hugely important role in the history of the village over centuries, herring being the main catch in the early days. It is worthwhile to spend a bit of time in the museum in the village to learn more about the fascinating history of this sometimes turbulent industry.
These days you can enjoy locally caught fish and seafood in one of the many bars/restaurants dotted around the village.
Ullapool lies just 60 miles north of Inverness and takes around 1hour 20 minutes by car. It can also be reached via bus from Inverness, with regular trains and buses serving Inverness from several towns across the country.
The drive is wonderfully scenic and there are plenty of stunning places to stop off on route for photos or short walks to stretch the legs.
With so much to do on our doorstep, we’ve handpicked our top 5 things you should not miss in Ullapool.
1. Seafood Shack
A catering trailer with an attractive outside seating area and always cheery staff has won several awards in recent years for its delicious fresh seafood cooked in innovative ways served with excellent accompaniments at competitive prices. In the recent month, they wrote a fabulous seafood cookbook as well and started selling it in November 2021. We highly recommend getting hold of one of these in the two local book shops we have.
2. Cycle from the village to Loch Achall
A fantastic activity is to cycle from the centre of Ullapool along the river towards Loch Achall. You can make this day as long as you like. There is plenty to experience along this fantastic route. You can visit a waterfall, wild swim in some river pools or use a sandy beach at the Loch itself for a refreshing dip. The route gets a bit rougher the further you cycle into the Glen (valley). “Didn`t bring bikes!” – “Why not hire some from Ullapool Bike Hire for an adventure day out.”
3. Whatsup – Stand up Paddle Hire
Tom and Ben, two of our Co-founder’s are not only running the Ullapool Bike Hire. They run a Stand Up Paddling Hire business called Whatsup too. A fantastic rental business and the amazing views you get of the village cruising around Ullapool Harbour and between the boats are outstanding. Ardmair is another great spot to take their SUP`s for a paddle around the bay. We highly recommend booking this activity well in advance as they tend to be booked up quickly for the season. You can book the boards online 24/7.
4. Wild – swimming
Wild Swimming is another activity which had a real boost in the last couple of years. We highly recommend going for a swim on hot summer days either at the wee pier in the village, Ardmair Bay or one of the many pools along River Ullapool and River Broom. All we can say, brace yourself as the temperatures of all of them won`t be like the Mediterranean Sea or going for a swim in the Canaries. That said afterwards you will feel refreshed and full of energy for a bike ride. If it is definitely too cold for you, why not use our excellent indoor swimming pool at the Leisure centre.
5. Local River and Ullapool Hill Walk
Walking is another lovely activity you should do while staying in the village. You could walk along the shoreline all the way along to the River Ullapool and follow the water upstream to either turn back into the village or head up one of the many ways towards Ullapool Hill. If you do climb the wee hill you will get rewarded with an amazing view over Ullapool, Loch Broom and the Summer Isles in the distance. If you fancy something higher and more challenging, why not book a local guide from Mckenzie Mountaineering – Guided Walking Adventures. This walking business is run by another Co-Founder of the Ullapool Bike Hire.
We hope you enjoyed this Top 5 Things you should not miss in Ullapool Blog and we can welcome you someday in our scenic village on the west coast of Scotland. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us