TRAVEL : Wester Ross, Scottish Highlands
“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you”. ~ Anthony Bourdain.
TRAVEL : VISIT WESTER ROSS, SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS
The Scottish Highlands is seasonal, most places are only open from around the end of March to the end of September; meaning that most accommodation, restaurants, bars, cafes etc are closed. I meandered through this region at the start of March and although there were many places still closed, there are many places open, that have remained open! Hospitality mindsets are changing.
The reason the Scottish Highlands closes during the winter months is obviously due to the weather but with milder weather and less snow, access to these remoter parts of Scotland is available year round and these routes are busy with visitors 12 months of the year. There is little reason now for places to remain closed (aside from staffing and owners needing a break).
Without a doubt Scotland is spectacular in the Summer but equally as beautiful in winter where the land is more exposed, so why not discover Scotland every month of the year?!
I travelled up to Wester Ross solo. Once you get past the motorways that lead you up through Perth and past Inverness, the stillness, vastness and openness of Scotland really starts to hit. When you can no longer pick up reception on the car radio (yes my car audio needs updating) and the landscapes shifts as if you’re doing some inter-planetary travel; the Scottish Highlands hands you a gift of silence and time most certainly seems to slow down.
Wester Ross is west of Inverness and hugs the western coastline taking in the towns of Ullapool, Gairloch, Lochcarron and Torridon. I headed up to Gairloch and Badachro where I was based for 2 days whilst discovering what this gorgeous area has to offer for a foodie.
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ACCOMMODATION IN AND AROUND GAIRLOCH, WESTER ROSS
I was staying at Little Aird Hill Cottage, Badachro Distillery accommodation. I read up about it online but it does little to prepare you for the quiet cosiness that awaits. This self catering cottage is right next to the craft distillery and in the grounds of Vanessa and Gordons home; but it is completely separate. The way they have located the cottage and focused the views, you would never know you where located in the distillery garden. This cottage comes with its own parking space, woodland garden which in Summer will be glorious and even a back porch to hang and clean your wellies and raincoats if you’ve been out hiking. Full review on Little Airds Hill Cottage HERE.
This area is filled with fantastic places to stay from cottages to hotels to caravan parks; there will be accommodation to fit all budgets.
Other places I noted to stay were:
Also worth noting is that Poolewe is approx 15 minutes from Gairloch and Shieldaig and Badachro - 10-15 minutes in the other direction - so plenty of choice in this wee area alone.
FOODIES PLACES YOU’LL LOVE IN AND AROUND GAIRLOCH, WESTER ROSS
An absolute must try, don’t drive past it, is the Badachro Inn. My favourite and most delicious meal was had here! This jovial pub/inn is right on the water edges and is the heartbeat of Badachro. I had an incredible plate of big fat juicy Scottish langoustines. Absolutely sublime! Full review coming soon.
Another spot is Shieldaig Lodge. A stunning hotel and restaurant but with elevated dining and a decent whisky cabinet filled with some absolute unicorn gems. Full review coming soon.
Another absolute gem in the Wester Ross food crown is the Gairloch Museum. Not only a great place to hide from the driving rain but a wee culture injection! This museum is packed with information of rural life in and around Gairloch - I particularly found information and the exhibition about the crofters fascinating! I have a dream of being a crofter but I really dont think I am built for it lol.
The museum itself is fascinating as it was a Cold War Bunker originally with thick concrete walls built around steel plates. No-one’s getting in and no-one’s getting out!
Once you finish wandering around the museum, you have to stop at the cafe upstairs - Am Bard Cafe. Everything is fresh and home baked with a great display of cakes and traybakes, great hot drinks and good wholesome lunch dishes. I found it quite difficult to decide what to eat; they have Open Sandwiches of Smoked Salmon or Prawn Cocktail or Hummus & Roasted Veg all served with a salad, homemade coleslaw on sourdough bread. The Baked tatties sound great too with toppings like beans n cheese, haggis n cheese or hot smoked salmon with horseradish.
But I settled for the Herby Pea & Broccoli Soup served with crispy croutons and a large thick slice of bread. Gosh was this delicious. Every last morsel of this thick, deep rich soup was mopped up with the bread - and I would do the same every day if I lived there.
This is a hot spot with the locals and a very very popular place. No bookings are taken so you may have to wait on a table.
There are no supermarkets up this way. My suggestion, if you are here on a self catering holiday is to stop in Inverness and stock up, topping up in the local shops. Gairloch is the main town with the most amount of shops
Gairloch Farm Shop - selling everything from paint to pasta
Kenneth Morrison Butcher, Poulterer and Gamedealer
The Shop on the Pier - selling everything from buckets to butter
Crumbs - superb traybakes like the Mint Aero and seemingly the place to go for a breakfast roll
McColls - selling a essentials but not alot of choice
The Gale Cafe - great coffees
Nannys - I was gutted that they were closed and only reopening from the 30th March. Heard great things about this place
PLACES TO WANDER, GAIRLOCK AND BADACHRO, WESTER ROSS
Now with all these yummy places to eat, you’re gonna need something to work off the calories or work up an appetite depending on which way you’re going about it.
Gairloch Beach is a wee piece of heaven. On a clear day you can see over to the Isle of Skye and Lewis and Harris in the distance. The water is crystal clear and beautiful hues of turquoise and blues
Gairloch Harbour. This is the spot you’ll come when hopping on a boat for your whale and dolphin sightseeing. It’s a nice place to wander too and I was amazed at how far the tide goes out, leaving the harbour almost dry
Another gorgeous harbour is Badachro harbour. The stillness and glasslike quality of these waters could keep me mesmerized for hours
Gairloch Golf Course. And why not? its also home to Gairloch’s latest cafe and restaurant - the Links
There is a phenomenal amount of things to do here especially if you love physical activity - from hillwalking to rock climbing, cycling to fishing and canoeing to kayaking
Visit the Visit Wester Ross website HERE for more information on the area and all the things you can see and do.
There are also some brilliant stops into and out of Wester Ross and I can highly recommend these two stops.
Harry Gow Bakery, just outside Inverness. Baked sweet and savoury goods as well as a decent hot chocolate
The Midge Bite, Auchnasheen. Serving up scrumptious fresh food and the ideal spot for breakfast, brunch and lunch. Their egg and black pudding sandwich was absolutely spot on!
I’d love to head back to Wester Ross as I feel its a region that I have only scratched the surface of. I’ve been to Torridon and Kylesku before too, but fleeting visits. This most definitely is a place that you want to take your time with, breathe in its rugged landscape and be awed at every turn in the road.
This is how you know that Scotland is beautiful; its also a place where I feel very at home.
Visit Wester Ross- www.visitwester-ross.com
This is a sponsored post with Visit Wester Ross