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Home , A835 road, Achgarve, Achiltibuie, Achnasheen, Achnashellach, Altandhu

The Coastal Trail A Journey through some of the most spectacular scenery the Highlands can offer …

To get here (from ) the journey will direction you are travelling! The road takes take approximately 50 minutes – Take the in some excellent views of the surrounding A9 past Inverness towards , and , particularly towards , follow the signs to and . where huge rock faces jut out over the Just after the village of “”, take the surrounding countryside. On reaching road to the left towards and “”, which once had a across Gairloch - a distance of approx: 16 miles to , the road becomes single to reach Achnasheen, which is a remote track for about five miles, running high village formed beside the railway station, over the Lochside with views that take in its and which has a small picnic area where entire length. Lochcarron is on the opposite you can stop for a break in your journey. shore. Total journey time from Dornie is There is also an excellent craft shop, café, about 50 minutes. ■ and jewellery manufacturer here for you to browse through and buy some local advertisement products. The local hotel is just a few yards down the road towards Strathcarron. Turning left at the roundabout (the only one of its kind in Wester Ross!) towards this, follow the A890 along Glencarron to the shores of . The hills on either side provide excellent walking and climbing, with stunning views in all directions. Many hill tracks lead through passes to remote adjoining glens, and provide less strenuous but just as rewarding walking. On reaching Lochcarron (40 minutes from Achnasheen), you are now poised to turn Northwards along the “Coastal Trail”. To reach this point from the South (if travelling from Fort William or Kyle of ), you must take the turnoff between Dornie and Kyle – about six miles from either village). This is quite clearly and unambiguously signposted to “The North”, just in case you are in any doubt as to the 1 Lochcarron to Applecross 15 miles / 40 minutes Lochcarron

Interesting Diversions Strome 4 miles/6.5km (15 min) from Lochcarron. Continue west along the road by the shore from Lochcarron to Stromemore where at one time the ferry ran across the loch. You can visit the ruins of Strome Castle and return by the same route.

Lochcarron village

Lochcarron itself is a long and a drive which as been the Cattle). It has several narrow village directly beside described as “one of the tight hairpin bends and the shore of Loch Carron, top ten road journeys in has been described as the with views across the loch the world” – yes, really! closest thing in this country to the hills beyond. There Just as you gain height, to an Alpine Pass … from its are plenty of amenities here you will see some concrete summit you can see many (hotels, shops, bike hire etc) structures on the left of of the Hebridean Islands to make this a good base for the road – to satisfy your – Skye, Rona, , Rum, a more detailed exploration curiosity, we had better Harris, Lewis etc (on a clear of the surrounding area. explain that the water day!). At the top, there is The main road out of here is extremely deep, also the possibility of an Lochcarron to the North and this was the site of a easy walk up to a radio mast quickly gains height, but major construction yard for which must be one of the soon drops down again deepwater oil platforms most exposed and remote to the village of Kishorn, during the mid 1970’s. The locations in the country. The which has shops and an 600,000 tonne “Ninian views inland from here are excellent seafood restaurant Central” platform, at the particularly spectacular. to offer passers by. A few time the worlds largest Applecross itself was miles further on, the road moveable structure, was one of earliest seats of to Applecross turns off to constructed here! Christianity in , and the left - you now have one The road you are on now is a tranquil village providing of the most dramatic and is an old drove road, and a contrast to the scenery you beautiful stretches of road in takes you to Applecross over have just come through to the country in front of you, the Bealach Na Ba (Pass of get there. ■ 2 Services Walks Tourist Information Centre in OS Landranger Series Sheet 25. Here are just a few of the Strathcarron ✆ 01520 722918 many interesting walks in the area. Most are on good paths or tracks. Achnasheen . Scardroy from Loch Gowan (cross river at footbridge) . Craft shop . PO . Glenuaig Lodge (Gleann Fhiodhaig) from Craig . Telephone . Hotel . Loch Coulin from Station, over the Coulin Pass Lochcarron . Shops & PO . Bealach na Lice and Loch an Eion from the bridge Petrol stations & garages beside Coulags . . Telephone & toilets . Hotels & restaurants . 9 hole golf course, 2 miles Place Names outside Lochcarron Achnasheen (ach-na-sheen) Field of the Storm [Gaelic] . Kishorn . Carron (karon) Rough and Rocky River Bed [Gaelic] . Award winning seafood bar . Strome (strome) Current of Water [Norse] . Applecross (apel-kros) The Estuary of the River Crosan Places of interest [Gaelic] Strome Castle (NTS) ruins of . Bealach na Bà (bee-alach-na-ba) The Pass of the Cattle 14th century castle [Gaelic] Rasaal Ashwood protected wood & limestone flora in area beside gorge

Rail journey The railway line from Inverness to via Achnasheen has great views. Service details from Strathcarron or Gairloch Information Centres, or Inverness Station.

Loch Carron and Duncraig 3 Places of interest Sands beach Is approximately 4 miles from Applecross, but definitely the best beach in the area. It was the home of TV presenter “Monty Halls” during his popular television series in the summer of 2009 with a large sandy beach, sand , and shallow sandy bay it will definitely give the kids a good run around. On your way back from the beach to the car park you will see a rock shelter which is a Mesolithic dwelling used 9,500 years ago. Clachan church is the site of St. Maelrubha’s monastic settlement. Although nothing Applecross remains of the monastery, you can go to the heritage centre next Applecross village, with its permanent population of just 250 door. This is full of interesting souls, is made up of a number of small hamlets; Millton, information and objects to give a Camusterach, Camusteel, Culduie, and Aird Dudh, more in-depth look at Applecross each with its own unique characters. Although Applecross through the ages. now has modern tourist facilities, it has managed to maintain its old world charm where visitors really feel part of village life. ■ Services Applecross . Shop &PO . Petrol station . Applecross Inn . Walled Garden Restaurant . The Flower Tunnel Cafe . and sea guides for outdoor activities ( kayaking, hill walking, mountaineering) . Campsite for tents & caravans with facilities . ATM . Public telephone and toilets . Heritage centre The Russell Burn, on the spectacular Bealach na Ba road that . Large sandy beaches runs from Lochcarron to Applecross . Pier at Milton and Aird Dubh 4 Local facts In 2004 there was a Time Team dig on the banking in the middle of the campsite. This has unearthed what looks like a , but also has earlier buildings in and around it. Since Time Team came, the project has been taken on by Applecross Archaeology Society who have held two digs per year on the site. 2010 was the last year this was planned for, as the team are taking a break.

Abbot’s Stone, Clachan

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5 Applecross to 21 miles / 35 minutes

Follow the road around the left is apparently for. There hotel, shops, and services. coast, and you find yourself are also the ruined remains However, this broadens travelling around on of the of several settlements out to a double road once most remote peninsulas in to be seen - a poignant more and follows the coast the Highlands. The road reminder of the more recent along the shore of Loch itself is relatively flat, but history of the Highlands. As Torridon, eventually arriving more then enough interest much as the and at Torridon Village. ■ is provided by the endless area, this part stream of views across to of the West Coast had its ● At this point, you Raasay, Skye, and Rona – own clearances, with many will have driven about occasionally you might also people being shifted off their 35 miles / 80 minutes see a submarine on exercises land against their will by from Lochcarron – easily off the coast, for this area unscrupulous landlords. enough to allow stops, of water is used for “silent This is single track road coffee breaks, or to visit running“ tests – that’s what all the way to , an some of the craft shops the modern building a few attractive village located just or seafood suppliers miles along the road on your off the main road with a along the way!

Liathach towering over Torridon village 6 Services Torridon . Shop . Telephone . Hostel (SYHA) Shieldaig . Shops . Telephone & toilets . Hotel/bar

Red and calf Places of interest . Shieldaig Island NTS bird sanctuary, covered in Scots Pine . Balgy Falls series of falls on the River Balgy flowing from Loch Damph Local facts Torridon Countryside Centre (NTS) information on local . In 1893 the minister of wildlife Shieldaig broke away . Deer Museum small display and enclosure with Red Deer from the established church along with the minister of Raasay to form the Free Place Names Presbyterian Church. . Shieldaig (sheel-daiyg) Herring Bay [Norse] . Balgy (bal-gi) Walks Bubbly stream [Gaelic] OS Landranger Series Sheet 24. Here are just a few of the . Annat (ahn-aht) many interesting walks in the area. Most are on good Mother Church [Gaelic] paths or tracks. . End of peninsula (Eilean à Chaoil) from Shieldaig . Torridon (torid-on) Place of transference . Coire Mhic Fhearchair from the main car park in Glen – possibly to Loch Torridon Maree [Gaelic] . Bealach na Lice from Annat (with possible continuation . Fasag (fahs-ahg) to Glen Carron) Dwelling [Gaelic] . Coire Mhic Nobuil from the car park on the road to . Alligin (ahl-i-gin) . You can return by the same route or continue Jewel or Pretty Woman to the main car park [Gaelic] . Craig from Diabaig. You can return by the same route . Diabaig (jaiya-bek) or continue to (transport may need to be Deep bay [Norse] organised)

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8 Torridon to 11 miles / 20 minutes

Kinlochewe Services Kinlochewe . Cafe Interesting Diversions . Restaurant Diabaig 9 miles (20 min) from Torridon village turn-off. . Petrol station From Torridon, there is a worthwhile detour (9 miles) along . Car park with toilets & a twisty road to the village of Diabaig, situated on telephone a dramatic cliff – encircled bay. One point has particular . Hotel, bar & bunkhouse notoriety, where you come over a rounded summit on the . Caravan park single track road, and realise that the road immediately . Basic campsite at Taagan executes a sharp turn – the perception from the inside of a car is that the road has totally disappeared without warning, leading to some interesting comments from Places of interest passengers and drivers alike!. . Visitor Centre, Aultroy (SNH) display of the geography, geology, natural history and its conservation on the . Beinn Eighe Glas Leitir Trails (SNH) car park & information point

The Beinn Eighe reserve

Along the main road to these mountains seem to Eighe reserve – rightly Kinlochewe – still on the rise almost vertically from honoured as one of the Coastal trail – the only the road, ending up 3456 finest in both Scotland and thing you have to look out ft above you, the tops often Europe, and indeed, the for is keeping your eyes on hidden in the clouds. Much world. the road ahead, because of this area is a National Kinlochewe is a compact all the way along this road Nature Reserve, with the settlement, and provides you are passing the below National Trust looking after an excellent base for a the towering ramparts of much of the Torridon end wide range of walking and , then the long ridge of the glen, and Scottish climbing in this area. There of Beinn Eighe. Particularly Natural Heritage bordering are shops, hotel, and fuel in the case of Liathach, on to this with the Beinn services. ■ 9 Kinlochewe to Gairloch 21 miles / 40 minutes

Along the South side of the A832 towards Gairloch, ancient Scots Pines cover the hillsides on your left, forming part of the Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve. This is one of the rare surviving fragments of the “Great Wood of Caledon” that once clothed much of the Highlands. The reserve has several rare species of plants and animals, and is of geological interest as well. A visit to the Aultroy Visitor Centre is a “must”. Only a mile or so outside Kinlochewe, this has walks to suit all abilities (including and Loch Maree pushchairs etc), and a fascinating exhibition which mass of Slioch filling much Maelrubha, established a explains the natural history of the skyline on the eastern religious cell on . of the region. shore. And while travelling Past the more gentle Past Aultroy, and for along this road, consider the wooded area of to nearly 12 miles along the fact that the landowning Victoria Falls on your left, road, you are following the structure of the Scottish Slattadale comes into view. shore of Loch Maree, one Highlands is rooted in a There are some rough (but of the most beautiful lochs feudalistic past, allowing driveable) tracks leading in the Highlands, with the (for example) ownership of down to a parking / picnic the entire eastern side of area by the lochside and the loch to be in the hands on your right going up of one private estate – a the long steep hill towards scenario repeated across Gairloch, one of the largest much of the Highlands tree planting projects in the even today. The history of country is under way (at the the islands on Loch Maree, time of writing). Trees being incidentally, can be traced as trees, this will still be under far back as the 7th century, way in many years time as when the Irish monk, they grow to maturity! ■ 10 Services Local facts at Kinlochewe The history of Loch Maree can be traced back to the 7th . Self catering chalets century when the Irish monk, Maelrubha established a . Hotel restaurant cell on Isle Maree on the loch. . Cafe Places of interest Walks . Victoria Falls, Slattadale OS Landranger Series Sheet 19. Here are just a few of the Waterfalls with short woodland many interesting walks in the area. Most are on good walk. Queen Victoria visited the paths or tracks. area in 1877 and the waterfalls . Heights of Kinlochewe, Leckie & Gleann na Muice from were named after her. Kinlochewe . Slattadale car park . Gleann Bianasdail & Lochan Fada from Kinlochewe on the shores of Loch Maree lochside walks . along the north shore of Loch Maree from Kinlochewe, via Strathan Buidhe . Woodland Trail & Mountain Trail from the Glas Leitir Place Names car park . Kinlochewe (kin-loch- yoo) Head of . Poolewe from Slattadale (return transport needs to be [Gaelic] organised) Loch Maree may have . Loch na h-Oidhche & Poca Buidhe from Loch Bad an formerly been known Scalaig as Loch Ewe in pre- Christian times . Loch Garbhaig from Victoria Falls car park . Grudie (groo-dee) Gravelly River Bed [Gaelic] . Slattadale (slat-a-dale) Even Dale [Norse] . Talladale (tahl-a-dale) Ledge Dale [Norse]

Glen Docherty 11 1/2 page ad 126mm x 86mm

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12 Loch Gairloch

As you come closer to Gairloch, the road winds through Services Kerrysdale, and runs past the small Hydro- electric power Gairloch station on your left that supplies much of the area with . Tourist Information Centre electricity. This was opened in 1951, and was one of the . Shops & PO earliest in the country. At one point during its construction, . Petrol station & garage there was a slight problem created when the construction . Hotels/bars workers accidentally cut the main telephone line to Iceland, . Restaurants & cafes which just happened to run through the gorge they were . Caravan & camping parks with working in! facilities You now arrive at one of the main centres in Wester Ross. . Telephones & toilets This is a collection of settlements arranged around Loch . Bank of Scotland Gairloch, which are collectively referred to as “Gairloch”, . Police station although they are all essentially separate communities. . Sport & leisure centre Continuing past the busy harbour area, you pass the golf . Library course, bank, beach, and garage. While most of the shops . Museum are located at “Strath”, there are a scattering of shops, . 9 hole golf course with facilities, hotels and B&B throughout. ■ clubhouse & good parking . Slipways at the pier and near Strath Square . Boat trips from the pier at Charlestown . Carn Dearg Hostel (SYHA), 2 miles outside Gairloch Shieldaig (on the way to Redpoint) . Hotel Badachro . Inn/bar

Gairloch harbour 13 advertisements

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The Old Inn

“Where good food and real ale come naturally”

Harbour location, within walking distance of whale watching, sandy beaches, golf course, heritage museum, pony trekking & wildlife walks. Close to Inverewe Gardens, Loch Maree, Perfume Studio, local illicit still, Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve and Torridon Specialising in local seafood and game, real ales and malt whisky. Comfortable accommodation – restaurant – bars - open fires - internet access. Now brewing our own ale on the premises. Your Highland “home from home” Gairloch • NW Highlands • IV21 2BD

Freephone 0800 5425444 Big Sand beach near Gairloch 01445 712006 [email protected] www.theoldinn.net Places of interest . Gairloch Beach safe, sheltered, sandy beach with Walks good parking and toilets OS Landranger Series Sheet 19. Here are just a few of the many interesting walks in the area. Most are on good . Big Sand Beach safe, paths or tracks. sheltered, sandy beach . Flowerdale Waterfall from the car park near the pier . interesting . An Ard from the pier or the beach car park displays of local life through . The Old Road from Flowerdale to Loch Bad an Sgalaig the years . Loch a’ Bhealaich from the car park beyond . Gairloch Pier Shieldaig Lodge (Charlestown) relaxed harbour with fishing boats and Spectacular cliff top walk to Rhubha Reidh Lighthouse pleasure craft. Also has a small from Melvaig (approx. 4 miles) marine life centre, shop and cafe . Rubha Reidh Lighthouse Wildlife Visitor Centre open all year round

Gairloch 15 16 Map of the Westerthe of areaRossMap

17 advertisement Interesting Diversions Rubha Reidh lighthouse and wildlife visitor centre 13 miles (30 min) STRATH STORES LTD. from Gairloch. When you Gairloch’s Independent Grocery Store head out west along the Providing everything you need & much more lochside from Gairloch the Alongside your usual groceries, find the road passes Big Sand beach well stocked delicatessen, sandwich bar, before turning inland for a Scottish beers & unusual whiskies, few miles then back again to locally sourced products the breathtaking scenery of & a wide range of dietary and health foods. A helpful and friendly store. the open sea. From the cliffs, Going that extra mile so you don’t have to. Skye and the Western Isles Local deliveries Red Point - . fill the complete horizon. tel: 01445 712499 The road continues through email: [email protected] the scattered settlement of Melvaig, then up a short steep hill to further incredible views along the rugged coastline, all the way to the end of the peninsula at the lighthouse.

Redpoint 9 miles (25 min) from Gairloch. The minor road along the south shore of Loch Gairloch starts through a lush, wooded area with glimpses of the loch and surrounding hills. At Badachro there is a beautiful sheltered anchorage filled with small boats. The road reaches the open sea again, with a Looking from Badachro towards Gairloch. Gairloch Heritage sandy beach at Opinan, and Museum (opposite page) continues to the road end at the Redpoint car park. Paths take you either to the Local facts old fishing station or to a Gairloch Heritage Museum is housed in converted farm secluded sandy beach. buildings and is operated by a group of local people. The aim of the museum is to explain and interpret the local culture & Gaelic language. The museum has won several awards over the last few years.

18 advertisement Place Names . Achtercairn (ach-ter-kairn) Field of the cairn [Gaelic] . Melvaig (mel-vaig) Bay of the bent grass [Norse] . Erradale (er-a-dale) Gravel-beach Dale [Norse] . Rubha Reidh (roo-ray) Smooth Point [Gaelic]

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The Leisure Centre is located in the left wing Come along and enjoy an invigorating swim of Gairloch High School, we offer activities to in a relaxing atmosphere, supervised at all suit all the family - visitors welcome, ideal for times by fully qualified, friendly pool staff. families, groups, clubs & people with Sessions include Family Friendly, Jungle disabilities. Our Facilities include fitness suite Fun, Parent & Toddlers, Adult and Over 50’s & four court games hall. We offer a varied swims, Aquasize, Public Swimming. Our programme of activities suitable for all ages pool is 15m x 6m and is 1m deep at shallow which includes:- bouncy castle & soft play, end and 1.6m deep at deep end. table tennis & badminton courts, archery, basketball, trampolining and much more. Poolewe Swimming Pool is a High Life facility. Gairloch Leisure Centre is a High Life facility.

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20 Gairloch to & Loch Ewe 12 miles / 25 minutes Loch Ewe

The road rises steeply from Gairloch over to Poolewe, across a plateau and close to Loch Tollaidh, before dropping again to sea level at Poolewe itself.

Place Names . Poolewe (pool-yoo) Pool of the River Ewe [Gaelic] . Cove (cove) Place of the Cave [Gaelic] . Inverewe (inver-yoo) Mouth of the River Ewe [Gaelic] . Aultbea (awlt-bay) Birch Burn [Gaelic] . (melon-charls) Little Hill of Charles [Gaelic] Looking down to Tollie Farm

Walks OS Landranger Series Sheet 19. Here are just a few of the many interesting walks in the area. Most are on good paths or tracks. . Slattadale from car park/viewpoint above Tollie Farm . Tollie Bay from car park/viewpoint . Fionn Loch from Poolewe, via Kernsary . Loch Kernsary from Poolewe, start at Srondubh and return by Riverside . Loch an Draing & Camas Mor from Midtown (parking difficult)

. Leacon Donna from Mellon Charles road end (parking not easy) ▲

21 ▲ Poolewe is a small, but attractive village at the head of the sheltered sea loch of Loch Ewe. It used to be a bustling little port with connections to the Outer Isles, however it is famous nowadays for being only a mile down the road from the world famous Inverewe Gardens. Founded by Osgood Mackenzie in 1862, on a barren peninsula overlooking the village of Poolewe, these are recognised as one of the finest gardens in Europe, with a plant collection of international importance. With over 130,000 visitors from all over the world each year, Inverewe has become a mecca for garden lovers who marvel at the rich diversity of plants which thrive in this remote corner of the Highlands. Favoured with River Ewe at Poolewe the milder climate created by the Gulf Stream Inverewe substantial activity that went Loch Ewe Distillery – the only Garden, now in the care on here in those days. business of its kind in the of the National Trust for Carrying on towards entire area. Scotland, is well named as Aultbea along the main With views back across the ‘Oasis of the North’ road, the road gains height Loch Ewe to the Torridon On the western side of the over Loch Ewe, showing Mountains, the minor road loch, the coast road to Cove the full extent of the loch, along the east shore of Loch offers a highly scenic trip, with Isle Ewe at its centre. Ewe is also well worth a with excellent panoramas The large pier on your left visit for the many charming of almost all the hills to the at the lochside is a NATO townships along the way. North West of Ross-shire refuelling base, incidentally. Staying with the “unique” and indeed all the way up to Eventually, the road takes theme, you will come to the Sutherland. you to Aultbea, with shops, “Perfumerie” – producing Loch Ewe was also one of hotel, and garage facilities a range of high quality the main convoy assembly accessible by turning off the perfumes and soaps. At lochs during WW11, main road and along for the road end you can walk and a string of disused nearly a mile. To the right, to the cliffs and watch the fortifications along much of as you come into Aultbea, marine life of Loch Ewe & the lochside testifies to the are signs pointing to the . ■ 22 advertisement

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23 Services . B&B, self catering accomodation, guest houses & hotels throughout the area Poolewe . Shop & PO . Garage (no petrol) . Telephone & toilets . Hotels/bars/restaurants Remains of 2nd World War fortifications . cafes . Caravan & campsite Interesting Diversions . Indoor swimming pool Cove 9 miles (15 min) from Poolewe. . Children’s playground The minor road to the end of the peninsula runs along the Aultbea west shore of Loch Ewe and offers excellent panoramas . Shops & PO of almost all the hills to the north west of Ross-shire & . Hotels/bars/restaurants Sutherland. Scattered communities stretch along . cafes almost the full length of the land beside the sea. At the road . Garage (no petrol) end there is some rough parking around the remains of 2nd . Telephone & toilets World War fortifications. Firemore beach is reached by this road. Mellon Charles . Perfumerie, cafe & gift shop Mellon Charles 4 miles (10 min) from Aultbea. The minor road along the east shore of Loch Ewe is also well worth a visit for the views of the hills of south & west Ross-shire and the charming townships along the way. At the road end you can walk to the cliffs beside more old fortifications. Places of interest . Firemore Beach (on the road to Cove) safe, sheltered sandy beach . Old gun emplacements (Cove road end) look out for the information board . Cave (2 miles south of Cove) used as a place of worship . Inverewe Garden (NTS) extensive, sheltered garden, with restaurant & shop

The view from Inverewe Garden across Loch Ewe 24 25 Aultbea to Braemore Junction 32 miles / 45 minutes

Interesting Laide Diversions Opinan & There now follows just in the local community as 4 miles (10 min) from Laide. over thirty miles of winding well as visitors, who come The minor road from Laide and (occasionally quite here to enjoy the vast array follows the coast for a steep) road to Braemore of wildlife and spectacular mile then heads inland to Junction, which takes you views. Natural features, , and passes Loch into the more northerly part which make walking na Beiste (Loch of the Beast) of Wester Ross towards along the woodland tracks to Mellow Udrigle beach. Ullapool, our largest here such a pleasurable The road continues another population centre. A couple experience, include deep mile to the coast at Opinan. of miles north of Aultbea, water courses, two lochans just before you reach the and a cascading waterfall Services community of Laide, you which feeds Loch na Creige, Laide will reach Laide Wood. This the lochan by its Eastern . Shop & PO is used by many people Boundary. ■ . Petrol station . Caravan & camping park . Small jetty advertisement

26 Places of interest . Old church & Burial Ground, Laide very early Christian site . Caves, Laide one was used as a place of worship until the end of the last century . Mellon Udrigle Beach safe, sheltered, sandy beach with car park (photo on page 25) . Slaggan Beach secluded, sandy beach at end of rough track . Gruinard Beach safe, sheltered, sandy beach with car park Gruinard Bay Walks OS Landranger Series Moving on, the first item of interest after the village of Sheet 19. Here are just Laide is probably , which lies in the centre a few of the many of the large bay on your left. This gained a certain level of interesting walks in the local infamy when experiments using spores were area. Most are on good carried out there prior to WW11, presumably on the basis paths or tracks. that there were so few people living up here, well, if it went . Slaggan from track end wrong then it wasn’t a major problem! Imagine trying this (just past Achgarve) on the Isle of Wight! Gruinard Bay itself has a fantastic beach – large, gently . Inverianvie River from sloping, and where the sea recedes well out into the bay at car park at Gruinard low tide. This is a particularly relaxing spot for a beach walk Beach or picnic. ■ . Gruinard River and Loch na Sealga from Gruinard Bridge Place Names . Laide (lay-d) Broad slope [Gaelic]. Laide of Udrigil in the old days . Mellon Udrigle (melon-oodrigil) Little Hill of Udrigle [Gaelic] . Gruinard (grin-yard) Shallow [Norse]

27 Little

After Gruinard Bay, the road 'Destitution Road', which Services passes close by Gruinard originally gained its name House before climbing from the fact that it was . Craft shop & gallery inland again. The carpark built during a period of . Shop & PO and viewpoint at the top of hunger and hardship in the . Petrol station the hill gives excellent views area during the 1800’s. . Hotel out over Little Loch Broom These roads were a method . Campsite to the Peninsula, of providing employment . Hostel and then further North and support to the region . Bed & breakfast towards and during troubled times, and . Cafe & craft shop the surrounding hills. The simultaneously created links . Mountain guiding & climbing road then falls down to the between communities that instruction Lochside past Ardessie falls still survive today in the form . Creag Ard boat charters - to Dundonnell, then winds of our modern road system. fishing & diving its way up the gorge to the Just before you reach Destitution Road over the Braemore Junction, look out wild “Fain” and past the for the car park on your left, . Campsite Fannich mountains, before for . It . Bed & breakfast dropping once more to is well worth a stop to take Braemore Junction. a walk down and across the You can still see large 200ft deep gorge, with its remnants of the old fragile looking footbridge. ■

Looking over Little Loch Broom towards the 28 Interesting Diversions Places of interest 3 miles (5 min) from . Scoraig isolated community As the road begins to drop down to Little Loch Broom from . at end of a peninsula the carpark and viewpoint, you can turn left at Badcaul along the minor road to the road end at Badluarach. . Ardessie Falls series of waterfalls near Dundonnell Badrallach 7 miles (15 min) from Dundonnell. As you leave Dundonnell and head up to the Fain, a minor . Corrieshalloch Gorge road turns left and crosses an old bridge to Dundonnell & Falls of Measach (NTS) House. It then takes a sharp right hand turn up through a The river Droma descends plantation and under the cliffs. At the highest point a path dramatically over the Falls of leads over to Loch Broom. The road continues down again Measach into the impressive almost to Little Loch Broom at Badrallach where a footpath gorge. 1.25 km / 0.75 miles leads to the end of the peninsula at Scoraig. long and 60m / 200 ft deep. This was formed by glacial melted waters excavating a channel through rock already weakened by vertical fracture. The gorge sides supports mosses, ferns, and liverworts. Access is from car park on the A832 Gairloch road near Braemore Junction.

Place Names . Badluarach (bad-loo- rach) The Clump of the Rushes [Gaelic] The Fain . Dundonnell (- dawn-el) Donald’s Fort [Gaelic] Walks . Badrallach (bad- rawl-ach) Oak Clump OS Landranger Series Sheet 19. Here are just a few of the [Gaelic] many interesting walks in the area. Most are on good paths or tracks. . Shenevall and Achneigie from the car park at Corrie Hallie . Lochivroan from the Loch a’ Bhraoin track end (on the Fain) . Allt na h-Airbhe from the highest point on the road to Badrallach

29 Braemore Junction to Ullapool 10 miles / 15 minutes Ullapool

Services Ullapool . Tourist Information Centre . B&B, self catering accomodation, guest houses & hotels throughout the area . Campsites . Restaurants, bars, bistros & takeaways . Wide range of shops . Supermarket . Outdoor and camping supplies . Post office & Bureau de Change . Banks & ATMs Ullapool with Beinn Ghobhlach in the background . Garage services (inc rental) . Fuel (inc Gas) Turning left towards Ullapool about ten miles away. . Internet Access from Braemore Junction, the Ullapool is a busy fishing . Leisure centre (inc swimming wide sweeping road takes town, with a ferry terminal pool & fitness centre) you down a steep hill, at the where you can take a four . 9 hole golf course bottom of which, you pass hour ferry trip across the . Football & (field & all Braemore Square, a grand Minch to (on weather surfaces) looking house designed the ), or a . Sailing club and yachting by John Fowler, who was much shorter trip to see berths responsible for one of the the bird and sea life by . Mountain guiding wonders of the Victorian the Summer Isles. By the . Library World – the Forth Railway standards of the area, the . Museum Bridge. town also has plenty shops, . Boat trips Along now past Lael an excellent museum, hotels, . Performing arts centre Forest, which has several accommodation and petrol. . An talla solais visual arts centre stopping places on the Ullapool also has several . Year round music & bespoke right hand side of the cultural events happening festivals road giving access to some each year, such as the excellent forest walks. Just Guitar Festival, Book Festival, past this, the road opens and “The best little Fest in up, with views all the way the West” - the annual up Loch Broom towards “Loopallu” Music festival, Ullapool, now a collection of which takes place at the end whitewashed buildings only of September. ■ 30 Places of interest . Inverlael Situated 16 km / 10 miles from Ullapool on the A835, this forest garden boasts a fine collection of mature and rare tree specimens. There is a network of paths allowing easy access. . Ullapool Museum Situated on West Street, this multi award winning museum and visitor centre is housed in a Thomas Telford church of 1829. The museum tells the story of Loch Broom – the land and sea – its people from the ice age to the present day using a blend of traditional and modern multimedia displays with commentary in six European languages. advertisement

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31 Places of interest Walks . OS Landranger Series Sheet Nos 15 / 19. Here are just a This is a very important site few of the many interesting walks in the area. for understanding how the . Ullapool Hill walks: A range of routes of up to 2 miles landscape of northern Britain length and 250mtrs in height. Fine views over Ullapool was formed.The Moine Thrust and surrounding mountains. Plane shows an unusual . Ullapool to Rhue: Half day walk, starting from situation where older Moine Morefield River Bridge, walking along Loch Broom for rocks have come to lie over much of the way … ends at Rhue Light House. much younger . Stac Pollaidh: One of Scotland’s most distinctive small limestone because of the hills at 440mtrs. Drive 10 miles North of Ullapool, turn folding and over thrusting left towards Achiltibuie, car park about 5 miles further of rock layers. There is an on. unmanned visitor centre, open . Highland Geopark & Inchnadamph bone caves: all hours and throughout the Geology based visitor centre & pre-historic bone caves. year with information and Approx: 40 minutes North of Ullapool. interactive displays on the . Lael Forest walks: Signposted forestry walks in landscape and geology of the coniferous woodland located 10 miles south of area. There are two circular Ullapool. 2 Car parks. trails for different abilities, a car park and toilets. . Nature Reserve This landscape is dominated by the sandstone peaks of Cul Mor, Cul Beag and Stac Pollaidh. Habitats include seashore and marine islands, scree and barren mountain tops, streams, numerous lochs. Bogs, and a scattering of birch, hazel and rowan trees. They support a variety of wildlife including the most northerly colony of wood ants. Golden plover, wheatear, ring ouzel, Looking north towards greenshank and curlew all breed on the damp moorland Leaving Ullapool behind, the only way to go from here is and ptarmigan on the tops. north along the A835 towards Achiltibuie and Ledmore There is a good path from Junction. Uniquely for UK waters, it used to be the case that Loch Lurgainn up and around many Eastern Bloc factory ships dropped anchor here for the summit of Stac Pollaidh several weeks at a time, leading to a situation where signs in that can be reached from Russian could be seen in several shops, and where the fellow the official car park on the standing next to you at the bar was quite likely to have been roadside. a citizen of the USSR. ■ 32 Ullapool to Achiltibuie 24 miles / 60 minutes Achiltibuie

All along the road towards This is a world famous site appears, and this takes you Ledmore, there are for geology (The science on a dramatic 15 miles spectacular views of the and understanding of worth of single track road surrounding mountains, modern day geology was through a mix of mountain including Stac Pollaidh, actually started here), and and moorland. Take it Cul Mor, and Cul Beag. there is a superb interactive slowly, enjoy the views. Heading north on the visitor centre here, which After passing Stac road from Ullapool, the explains - in terms that are Pollaidh, with its craggy sights of the mountains are understandable to everybody summit seeming to be only a even more dramatic than the – all about plate tectonics stone’s throw away from the way in to the village – and and movements of land road (but actually 2000 ft only a few miles or so up masses around the planet. up), the landscape evens out the road towards Ledmore, After about 8 miles, quite a bit, and is obviously ▲ you come to Knockan Crag. the turn off to Achiltibuie nearing the coast. Arriving at

Interesting Diversions Place Names Achiltibuie & the Summer Isles . (ard-mare) Achiltibuie along with the view of the Summer Isles can be Finger promontory reached via the Inverpolly Nature Reserve Road. Achiltibuie [Gaelic] is a typical coastal settlement where fishing and crafting have been it’s root and branch for 300 years. The revamped . Inverlael (inver-law-al) Hydroponicum provides a interesting range of plants and Low hollow at river growing media for the plant enthusiast. The Summer Isles mouth [Gaelic / Norse] can be viewed from the mainland and explored by boat . (poll-bayn) The from either Badentarbat Pier or Ullapool. One of the best fair hollow [Gaelic] views can be made at by taking the round route Coigach (coy-ach of the peninsula. Viewers are offered a landscape of rugged . or coyk-ach) Place of seas cliffs dotted with roosting or nesting sea birds, sea fifths [Gaelic] division worn crevices, caves and rock arches. In the more sheltered of land into fifths was an waters basking seals favour sandy beaches and rock shelves. old Gaelic practice. Sandwood Bay 60 miles (1 hour 40 mins) from Ullapool The 6.5km / 4 miles footpath is only accessible by foot and leaves the public road at Blairmore. Sandwood Bay boasts some of the most magnificent beach and cliff scenery in Europe. Experience peatland, sand and (surrounding the loch) and look out for uncommon plants such as Royal fern and mountain avens. 33 Looking South towards ▲ Achiltibuie, there are views What’s that? Have you left, northwards towards out over the sea towards the always thought that you Lochinver, there is a drive of Torridon Mountains, away to need soil to grow plants? constant scenery changes the South of the region. No, you don’t, and the with high remote hills on all Achiltibuie itself offers Hydroponicum explains how. sides, and only an occasional accommodation, stores, Retracing your drive to house or croft to remind and a major visitor the Ullapool road, you you that you are only just attraction in the shape eventually arrive back at the in touch with civilisation. of the “Hydroponicum”. main . Turning Enjoy! ■ 34 Birds to look out for . Ring ousel Wildlife . Red-throated diver . Black-throated diver . Great northern diver . Guillemot . Black guillemot . Razorbill . Puffin . Merganser . Goosander . Ptarmigan . . . Crossbill . Hoody crow . Raven . White-tailed eagle Look out for otters . . Buzzard . The Scots Pine believed to date back 8000 . Kestrel The Scots Pine can be years to the end of the last . found in various locations Ice Age. . Sparrowhawk throughout the world. . Spotted woodpecker Loch Maree is one of the The White -tailed eagle few areas in Scotland where The White-tailed eagle or Mammals to look out for small pockets of the pure Sea Eagle has recently been . Minke whale genetic strain can be found. re-introduced into the area . Killer whale (Orca) This particular variety is from northern Norway after . an absence of many years. . Common dolphin . Common seal Plants to look out for Marine life . . Heather (Ling) The Minch (between the . Otter . Cross-leaved Heath Outer Isles & Mainland) . Mountain hare . Bell Heather has the most diverse . Wild cat . Spotted Orchid and numerous range of . Pine marten . Sundew cetaceans to be found . Red deer . Butterwort anywhere around mainland . Roe deer . Blaeberry Britain. . Bearberry The North Atlantic Drift . Cowberry (a continuation of the Gulf . Crowberry Stream) warms the sea and . Cloudberry provides good breeding . Bog Myrtle conditions for marine life. ■ . Bog Asphodel . Alpine Ladies Mantle 35 Historical extracts

Wester Ross Lighthouse The name Ross, derived from Rubha Reidh lighthouse was Rois (meaning a headland) built by David A. Stevenson, was probably first applied to a cousin of Robert Louis promontories of land on the Stevenson and opened in east coast and then came 1912. Until the road was to be extended across the completed in 1962, access whole region to the west. to the lighthouse was by Although still Ross- sea. shire, this region became known as Ross & Cromarty Railway in 1698 when George A railway from Achnasheen MacKenzie, who owned to Aultbea, via Loch Maree lands throughout the area, Rubha Reidh lighthouse and Poolewe was proposed succeeded in having his in the late 1880’s, but came own lands recognised as a Sir George Hay tried to nothing. A copy of the separate county of Cromarty. unsuccessfully to control bill in parliament supporting Lewis, but concentrated the railway can be seen in Iron smelting his efforts in the Loch Gairloch Museum. At the beginning of the Maree area around 1607. 17th century some lowland It is possible that Hay came Coastal settlements lairds were encouraged by across ancient, primitive Many lairds created coastal the crown to gain control iron works at Loch Maree settlements for their tenants, of the Western Highlands and decided to develop the who were dispossessed and Islands. In particular, iron smelting industry when from the straths & glens. So he saw the potential of the villages such as Strathcarron Caves at Laide local bog iron deposits and were populated by people One of the caves at Laide extensive woodlands. who were encouraged to was used as a church As local bog iron deposits live off fishing instead of until the turn of the last were used up, imported farming. century. Old Duncan ores from the south were Matheson who died transported by boat. As Canonball recently aged 93 was the a result the iron works at A canonball found near last baby to be baptised Letterewe were relocated Flowerdale House (Gairloch), there when his family at Poolewe where the is thought to have been were driven off Priest iron ore was landed. The fired from a man-of-war in Island due to extreme works ceased around 1668, 1746 in its pursuit of Prince hardship, and landed at probably as the local timber Charles Edward, who was Coast, where they lived in was used up. Despite the on the run after the battle their upturned boat until extensive spread of the works, of Culloden. ■ they built a house. very little trace of these activities can now be seen. 36