Lying on the shores of Lochbroom is the beautiful fishing town of Ullapool. Ullapool is becoming a popular base for Highland explorers because of its unspoilt natural environment and vast options of things to do in the area.
Given its geographic access to Wester Ross and Inverness, as well as its convenient reach to the outer Hebrides via short ferries, visitors are spoilt for day trips when staying within Ullapool.
But steady on, make sure that you appreciate Ullapool and the local area itself!
From enchanting local walks and wildlife to delightful local eats and watering holes, Ullapool deserves to be experienced.
Here are some of the highlights:
Corrieshalloch Gorge National Nature Reserve
Less than a 20-minute drive away from Ullapool town centre is Corrieshalloch Gorge National Nature Reserve, providing walking trails around the gorge and spectacular waterfalls.
A particular highlight is the suspension bridge that connects both sides of the gorge where visitors can admire in awe the 45-metre Falls of Measach swooping through the ravine.
The nature reserve is listed as the most popular activity around Ullapool and given that access to the gorge is free, it makes for a brilliant day out to experience nature at its breathtaking best.
Kayak Summer Isles
This part of the world is a kayaker’s dream with lochs, a remote coastline and beaches that you would be forgiven for thinking you were in the Caribbean.
Kayak summer isles provide a variety of kayak and canoe tours that can be combined with hillwalkers, even incorporating Corrieshalloch Gorge for visitors who want to kill two birds with one stone.
Summer Isles provides something for everybody whether you’re a seasoned pro or looking to try kayaking for the first time and there are not many better settings in the whole world to try it!
The company even runs ad-hoc canyoning tours, exhilarating experiences where you trek through canyons and gorges via waterfall jumps, abseiling and scrambling. Adrenaline-raising stuff!
Ullapool Golf Club
Ullapool Golf Club provides more accessible golfing for the casual hobbyist in a region where golf tends to be a wallet-busting activity.
This 9-hole course sits on the shores of Loch Broom and provides a variety of parkland and coastal holes with breathtaking views aplenty.
Adult 9-hole tickets are £25 during the 2024 season and £15 for juniors.
Ullapool Museum
Housed in a Grade A listed building, Ullapool Museum was formed in 1991 to promote and preserve the heritage of Lochbroom.
Housed in the small museum are collections that reflect the social history of the area as time has gone by from the fishing and marine industries to the agricultural crofting system that was the heart and soul of the community.
From the Coigach Cowboys who left for Montana to work on cattle ranches, to the Lochside Yachtsmen who were employed on racing yachts for the powerful elites of the world, Ullapool Museum is just as much about the individual stories that have shaped the heart and soul of this land.
Retail Therapy in Ullapool
Ullapool is blessed with small shops that offer something for book lovers, appreciators of handmade goods and hikers alike.
Popular gift stores include Made in Ullapool, The Captain’s Cabin and Artworks, whilst literary lovers will be well placed at Ullapool Bookshop.
Ullapool Outdoors stocks a ton of specialist hiking gear and clothing, perfect to equip yourself with the area’s vast array of outdoor walks and hikes.
Let’s not forget fans of fine food and drink either! The Ullapool Smokehouse, West Coast Delicatessen and Highland Liquor Company Bottle Shop are all perfect places to pick up some locally sourced artisanal products!
What are some of your favourite things to do in Ullapool?
Let us know in the comments below!
