Things to Do in Wester Ross
If you want more from your holiday than soaking up the magnificent scenery, Wester Ross has plenty of other attractions and activities to keep holidaymakers fully occupied.
Walking
There are many fine walks for all ages and abilities from short gentle strolls to challenging mountain climbs on the regions many Munros.
Various walks in the area area can be found on the Walk Highlands website .
Guided walking tours: -
Go Further – Guided hillwalking, mountaineering and climbing trips and courses – www.gofurtherscotland.co.uk
Rua Reidh Lighthouse, Gairloch – walking holidays and rock climbing courses - www.ruareidh.co.uk
Beautiful Sandy Beaches
There are many beautiful sandy beaches in the area, the best of these being Red Point, Gairloch, Big Sand, Inverasdale, Mellon Udrigle and Gruinard.
Boat Trips
Hebridean Whale Cruises have 2 boats operating from Gairloch Harbour and are the top boats for whale and dolphin sightings. The boats take you well off shore where you have a realistic chance of seeing whales. They are based on Pier Road. www.hebridean-whale-cruises.com In the spring and early summer, Hebridean Whale Cruises has trips to the enchanted Shiant Isles, home to many thousands of puffins, guillemots, razorbills and other seabirds.
Other wildlife cruises and fishing trips are available from Gairloch harbour - www.northwestcruises.co.uk and from Badachro you can have a trip on a fishing boat to see creels being lifted, fishing trips and trips to the Isle of Rona - www.shellfishsafaris.co.uk
Boat trips are available on Loch Maree, to view Viking graves and the famous Money Tree visited by Queen Victoria – www.lochmareehotel.co.uk
Regular boat trips sail from Ullapool and Achiltibuie to the glorious Summer Isles. www.summer-isles-cruises.co.uk / www.summerqueen.co.uk
Fishing
Sea fishing trips are available on the Kerry from Gairloch Harbour – www.hebridean-whale-cruises.com Sea fishing from the shore is possible all round the coast and there are slipways for launching a small boat at Gairloch, Melvaig, Inversasdale and Laide. There is good trout fishing in the many hill lochs and some river fishing for salmon and trout. Permits are available from Cornerstone and Farm & Garden in Gairloch, the Shieldaig Lodge Hotel and the Post Office, Laide.
Golf
There are 9 hole golf courses at Gairloch, Ullapool and Lochcarron
Gairloch Golf Club – a challenging and scenic 9-hole course set on the shore of Loch Gairloch – www.gairlochgolfclub.co.uk
Lochcarron Golf Course – 9-hole course in magnificent location by the shore of Loch Carron – www.lochcarrongolf.co.uk
Ullapool Golf Course – a professionally designed 9-hole course – www.ullapool-golf.co.uk
Pony Trekking
Pony treks can be arranged at Gairloch Trekking Centre in Flowerdale, Gairloch.
www.gairlochtrekkingcentre.co.uk
Bike Hire
Road bikes, mountain bikes and children’s bikes are available to hire at the caravan site at Big Sand, Gairloch.
Other Sports
Pitch and putt course in Strath, Gairloch
Swimming pool in Poolewe
Leisure Centre, Gairloch – where activities include badminton, short tennis, table tennis, archery, trampolining and an indoor climbing wall.
Lochbroom Leisure Centre, Ullapool – swimming pool, multi sports hall and fitness suite
Gardens
Your holiday in Wester Ross would not be complete without a visit to Inverewe Gardens at Poolewe. Now owned by the National Trust for Scotland, it is home to hundreds of exotic species of plants from around the world, all thriving in the warm, humid climate of Scotland’s west coast. www.nts.org.uk/gardens
Other smaller, but equally impressive gardens can be found at: -
Attadale, near Achnasheen www.attadale.com
Leckmelm, on the A835 between Braemore junction and Ullapool
The Hydroponicum, Achiltibuie – a magnificent array of plants, including bananas, growing in an indoor garden. www.thehydroponicum.com
Museums & Visitor Centres
Gairloch Heritage Museum – Award winning museum – www.gairlochheritagemuseum.org
Applecross Heritage Centre– www.applecrossheritage.org.uk
Ullapool Museum – a rare insight into a Highland community – www.ullapoolmuseum.co.uk
Torridon Countryside Centre & Deer Museum – visit Torridon with its breathtaking scenery – www.nts.org.uk
Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve– boasting some of Scotland’s finest mountain, pinewood and lochside scenery – www.snh.org.uk
Hotels, Bars & Restaurants
There are many high quality establishments in the area to cater for all tastes and budgets, with seafood being a speciality of the area.
The Myrtle Bank Hotel, Low Road, Gairloch www.myrtlebankhotel.co.uk
The Old Inn, Gairloch Harbour – www.theoldinn.net
The Badachro Inn - www.badachroinn.com
The Melvaig Inn - www.melvaig-inn.co.uk
Poolewe Hotel - www.poolewehotel.co.uk
Aultbea Hotel - www.aultbeahotel.co.uk
Drumchork Lodge Hotel, Aultbea - www.hotelaultbea.co.uk
Millcroft Hotel, Strath, Gairloch - www.millcroft-hotel.co.uk
Arts, Crafts & Local Industries
Amora Perfumes & Soaps– The only working perfume studio in Scotland at Mellon Charles – www.aromasciences.com
Aultbea Woodcraft – woodturning workshop and shop – www.eweview.com
Highland Stoneware, Ullapool –working pottery and shop – watch the craftspeople make and paint these distinctive ceramics - www.highlandstoneware.com
Summer Isle Foods, Achiltibuie– traditional salmon and kipper smokehouse – www.summerislesfoods.com
The Studio, Achnasheen – the largest selection of contemporary jewellery in the Highlands – www.studiojewellery.com
Atlantic Bears – traditional collector’s bears made in Gairloch – see them in The Treasure Chest, Gairloch – www.atlanticbears.co.uk
Firemore - manufacturers of high quality made-to-measure outdoor clothing.- www.firemore.com
Travel Guides & Information
Information about Wester Ross - www.visitwester-ross.com
Information about the Loch Ewe area www.visitlochewe.com
Visit the Scottish Highlands - www.camusnagaul.com
Scotland Travel Guide - www.visitourscotland.co.uk
Guide to Scotland - www.scotland.visitandtravel.com
Useful information on travelling with your pet - www.petsandtravel.co.uk
Miscellaneous
West Highland Hawking, Kinlochewe – falconry courses.
Lochcarron Camanachd – come and watch the traditional Highland Gaelic sport of shinty played – www.shinty.com/clubs/lochcarron
Ullapool to Stornaway Ferry – Ullapool is the ferry terminal for Stornoway and the Western Isles – www.calmac.co.uk
Photos of the Scottish Highlands by professional landscape photographer – www.gordon-c-harrison.co.uk
More lovely photos of the Scottish Highlands, many of Wester Ross – www.scotlandframed.co.uk
Stunning photos of Wester Ross - www.OsirisPhoto.com
