Ullapool — The Emptiest Landscape In Britain

What To See Around Ullapool

Ullapool is a small planned fishing village on Loch Broom and the ferry port for Stornoway. The landscape north and east of it is the reason to come ashore. Corrieshalloch Gorge is 20 minutes away, a 60 metre deep box canyon with the Falls of Measach and a Victorian suspension bridge you can walk across, and it needs only 40 minutes. Further north the Coigach and Assynt road passes Stac Pollaidh, Suilven and Quinag, mountains that look prehistoric because they stand alone rather than in ranges. Ardvreck Castle sits ruined on a promontory in Loch Assynt. A full loop north takes about five hours including stops, which suits a long call only.

Single Track Roads And Honest Timing

The roads north of Ullapool are single track with passing places. They are not difficult but they are slow, and a distance that looks like 40 minutes on a map can take an hour with oncoming traffic and photo stops. This is exactly where an unfamiliar self drive goes wrong on a cruise day. We plan these routes at realistic speeds, not map speeds, and we set the turnaround point before we leave the pier. Inverness is 75 minutes away for guests who prefer a town day. Mobile signal is patchy across Assynt, so we agree the plan in advance rather than relying on messaging en route. Mandarin and Cantonese throughout, WeChat and WhatsApp booking.