So off we headed to The rugged Highlands for part two of our Scottish trip. En route to Gairloch we made a detour to Torridon in the hope of a spot of lunch. This gorgeous coastal settlement was having a sleepy Sunday though, absolutely nothing was open.
We did finally find an open roadside cafe at Kinlochewe. Refueled , Wil drove along the A832 to Gairloch. From here it was a good coastal B road through crofting hamlets Aultgrishan & Melvaig. Then the road peters out and becomes a 3 mile long winding track with skinny bridges to cross and 2 gates to open. . It was quite a hair-raising journey! At the end of all that our home for the next 6 nights came into view…
Our Accomodation.
Rua Reidh Lighthouse is a fully operational lighthouse, which features two beautiful apartments in the former Lighthouse Keepers Quarters. Our accomodation was on the first floor, so lots of big ocean views. The walls were wonderfully thick, you could never tell if it was blowing a hoolie outside. Stepping outdoors was usually rather bracing. I did regret not packing a wooly hat!
Staying somewhere so remote is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. But once your holed up with a wee dram and a copy of ‘Kidnapped’ by Robert Louis Stevenson , there’s no better place to be. 😊
A public footpath passes Rua Reidh and its possible to walk down to the flat stone jetty, where materials to build the lighthouse were delivered by boat in the early 1900s. The buildings, courtyard and headland are exclusively the owners, and for guests to enjoy. It was nice to huddle up on the wooden deck chairs with a brew and watch gannets plummet oceanward for their supper.
Some Gairloch Faves.
It was a careful 40 minute drive from our lighthouse base into Gairloch, a pretty community that straddles a Sea Loch, Loch Gairloch. For that civilization fix, there are shops, cafes, a pub, golf course, heritage museum and a campsite in the town . Here are some of my favourite places to pop by.
The Gale Centre ~ Tourist info, Community centre, cafe with ocean views & gorgeous gift shop.
Mountain Coffee Company & Hillbillies Bookshop ~ Quirky Coffee Shop with attached book store.
The Little Green Shop ~ Hand crafted & locally designed gifts.
The Old Inn ~ Friendly Inn with seafood specials and scenic location. Their Cullen Skink is to die for.
Sands Caravan & Campsite ~ The campsite has its own fab sandy beach ‘ Big Sands’ which non campers can use if they call in at the lovely barn cafe on site. Also, there are Highland Coos. 😊
Gairloch Beach ~ Another smooth sandy beach with an attractive mountainous backdrop.
My absolute favourite spot in Gairloch has to be the ‘ Sitooterie ‘ on Pier Road. This colourful harbour side community garden is the perfect place to sit with a hot drink from nearby Coast Coffee ( Thurs-Sun only) and watch the working fishing boats, pleasure boats and wildlife in the harbour.
The attractive harbour is also from where various boat trips set out from, an absolute must if your visiting Gairloch. We loved our excursion on Alice The Glass Bottom Boat and were lucky enough to see both Grey & Common Seals and a juvenile Golden Eagle!
Gairloch Walks.
For me August was the perfect month to visit the Scottish Highlands because the heather was blooming in all its vibrant purple glory. Of course my photos don’t do it justice, take my word for it though, it was stunning.
A scenic walk from the car park between the harbour and The Old Inn took us up The Flowerdale Glen , a picturesque woodland trek with tumbling ( though not dramatic) waterfalls , wooden walkways and rocky paths.
Another more demanding hike that we did was from Rua Reidh Lighthouse. You can walk along the undulating cliffs from Rua Reidh past impressive sea arches and hidden coves. Eventually you may find ( as we did ) a secret walkers bothy, from where to take shelter when the heavens undoubtedly decide to open. 😊
The bothy was well stocked with everything you might need if you were planning to stay the night. I noticed amongst other things 2 packs of playing cards, instant noodles, teabags, an axe and a jar of Marmite…
Quite nearby , looking towards the secluded Camas Mor Beach, is a memorial stone to ‘ Scotland’s First Formula One Racing Winner’ Innes Ireland. Apparently the Yorkshire born former military man with the Irish name moved to Scotland when he was 2 and made his mark in F1 in the late 1950s, early 1960s. A huge character, he loved this very remote corner of Scotland.
Russian Arctic Convoys World War ll.
Twenty minutes drive from Gairloch, another Sea Loch has an interesting wartime history. Loch Ewe was from where brave merchant mariners and the Royal Navy transported arms & materials across the ocean to Arctic Russia during World War ll.
The Convoys were not just under constant attack from German aircraft and submarines ( 104 allied merchant ships and 18 warships were sunk) , the treacherous ice, cold & storms played a part in hardship and death at sea. It was no wonder then that Winston Churchill described their mission as ‘ the worst journey in the world’.
At its wartime peak, some 3000 military personnel were deployed around Loch Ewe. Seeing the ships setting out must have been a daunting sight for locals going about their business in their rural farming & fishing communities.
In recent years The Russian Arctic Convoy Project has lobbied for recognition of the areas unique contribution to the war effort. A driveable trail around Loch Ewe now uses storyboards & Silhouettes to paint a picture of those incredible times. And the intimate Russian Arctic Convoy Museum at Aultbea is definitely worth a visit.
Other Places Visited.
Wester Ross has rugged mountains, charming fishing villages, freshwater lochans and salty sea lochs. So much to explore in just one trip. Yep, we will have to return. For now, here are a couple more places we loved.
Badachro ~ This former fishing village sits in its own sheltered bay overlooking Loch Gairloch. We came here for a lovely lunch at The Badachro Inn which has an enviable position looking out over the loch. Near the inn is a cute cabin gift shop called Latitude 57 and a few miles outside of Badachro there is a small family run distillery.
Poolewe ~ Situated on the shores of Loch Ewe, Poolewe holds a popular craft & farmers market on Tuesdays and is home to the famed Inverewe Gardens, which were impressive, though very midgy on our visit. We enjoyed hot drinks in the quirky billiards room cafe at Pool House and went for a rainy walk along the heather strewn banks of the River Ewe.
Part 2 of our Scotland trip was spectacular! Next we left our lovely west coast lighthouse and travelled East to Boness & Falkirk. Part 3 coming soon….
sunshine and celandines 