Seascape Expedition - Ullapool.
A powerboat adventure trip [May 2008] from Ullapool in and around the Summer Isles.
On the east shore of Loch Broom, Ullapool was founded in 1788 as a herring port by the British Fisheries Society - and was designed by Thomas Telford. The harbour is still perhaps the focal point of the town and is used as a fishing port, yachting haven, and ferry port. Ferries, as in this video, sail to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides.
Many of the pivotal discoveries of the Victorian era that contributed to the development of the concept of plate tectonics were made in this area, and there are still regular international geological conferences! Others, of course, visit here for the scenery, hillwalking and the Seaforth, FBI and the Arch!!! Not to mention those amazing breakfasts in the local cafe!
Ullapool is surrounded us on all four sides by mountains and contains some of the most beautiful unspoiled scenery in the world with undiscovered beaches, forests, hidden glens with stags grazing, waterfalls, bird sanctuaries to explore, breathtaking twisty single track roads, all warmed by the gulf stream that gives it the tropical garden look with the comparably mild weather. It really has its own micro-climate. Boat trips depart to the enchanting Summer Isles as does a power boat trip that is highly recommended [watch the other video - Seascape adventure]; see seals and porpoises or marvel at the botanists miracle of Hydroponics in Achiltibuie.
Soundtrack: ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOON GUARDS 'Sailing'.
Ullapool sunset.
Sunset over Beinn Ghobhlach.
Occupying a position on the peninsula between Loch Broom and Little Loch Broom the 635m 'Forked Hill' appears in the Tables of Grahams.
On the east shore of Loch Broom, Ullapool was founded in 1788 as a herring port by the British Fisheries Society - and was designed by Thomas Telford. The harbour is still perhaps the focal point of the town and is used as a fishing port, yachting haven, and ferry port. Ferries, as in this video, sail to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides.
Many of the pivotal discoveries of the Victorian era that contributed to the development of the concept of plate tectonics were made in this area, and there are still regular international geological conferences! Others, of course, visit here for the scenery, hillwalking and the Seaforth, FBI and the Arch!!! Not to mention those amazing breakfasts in the local cafe!
Ullapool is surrounded us on all four sides by mountains and contains some of the most beautiful unspoiled scenery in the world with undiscovered beaches, forests, hidden glens with stags grazing, waterfalls, bird sanctuaries to explore, breathtaking twisty single track roads, all warmed by the gulf stream that gives it the tropical garden look with the comparably mild weather. It really has its own micro-climate. Boat trips depart to the enchanting Summer Isles as does a power boat trip that is highly recommended [watch the other video - Seascape adventure]; see seals and porpoises or marvel at the botanists miracle of Hydroponics in Achiltibuie.
ULLAPOOL / above the BROOM
On the east shore of Loch Broom, Ullapool was founded in 1788 as a herring port by the British Fisheries Society - and was designed by Thomas Telford. The harbour is still perhaps the focal point of the town and is used as a fishing port, yachting haven, and ferry port. Ferries, as in this video, sail to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides.
Many of the pivotal discoveries of the Victorian era that contributed to the development of the concept of plate tectonics were made in this area, and there are still regular international geological conferences! Others, of course, visit here for the scenery, hillwalking and the Seaforth, FBI and the Arch!!! Not to mention those amazing breakfasts in the local cafe!
Ullapool is surrounded us on all four sides by mountains and contains some of the most beautiful unspoiled scenery in the world with undiscovered beaches, forests, hidden glens with stags grazing, waterfalls, bird sanctuaries to explore, breathtaking twisty single track roads, all warmed by the gulf stream that gives it the tropical garden look with the comparably mild weather. It really has its own micro-climate. Boat trips depart to the enchanting Summer Isles as does a power boat trip that is highly recommended [watch the other video - Seascape adventure]; see seals and porpoises or marvel at the botanists miracle of Hydroponics in Achiltibuie.
Ullapool sunset
PRIVATE.
Sunset over Beinn Ghobhlach [May 2008].
Occupying a position on the peninsula between Loch Broom and Little Loch Broom the 635m 'Forked Hill' appears in the Tables of Grahams.
On the east shore of Loch Broom, Ullapool was founded in 1788 as a herring port by the British Fisheries Society - and was designed by Thomas Telford. The harbour is still perhaps the focal point of the town and is used as a fishing port, yachting haven, and ferry port. Ferries, as in this video, sail to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides.
Many of the pivotal discoveries of the Victorian era that contributed to the development of the concept of plate tectonics were made in this area, and there are still regular international geological conferences! Others, of course, visit here for the scenery, hillwalking and the Seaforth, FBI and the Arch!!! Not to mention those amazing breakfasts in the local cafe!
Ullapool is surrounded us on all four sides by mountains and contains some of the most beautiful unspoiled scenery in the world with undiscovered beaches, forests, hidden glens with stags grazing, waterfalls, bird sanctuaries to explore, breathtaking twisty single track roads, all warmed by the gulf stream that gives it the tropical garden look with the comparably mild weather. It really has its own micro-climate. Boat trips depart to the enchanting Summer Isles as does a power boat trip that is highly recommended [watch the other video - Seascape adventure]; see seals and porpoises or marvel at the botanists miracle of Hydroponics in Achiltibuie.
Video soundtrack subject to YouTube audio-swap.
Summer Isles Congeralley trip
Short video of our congeralley trip to summer isles featuring a visit by a basking shark.
Sunset cruise on the A832 between Ullapool and Dundonnell, Scotland
Sunset cruise from Ullapool to Dundonnell on the A832 which runs trough a beautiful landscape and is a road full of curves. At the end you can see Little Loch Broom on the right. Close to the end you can see some sheeps on the road which can walk freely there. Speed limit on the road is about 95 km/h.
Other video of the A832 after this part can be found here:
Video recorded with an iPhone 4S and the speed has been modified to 425%.
Ullapool 6/7/8 MCMC
Moray Coast Motorcycle Club lunchrun to Ullapool 6.7.8
[NB. This video has been speeded up during editing for effect!!!]
Ullapool / above the Broom 2008
Anr enforced audio change: Ullapool / above the Broom 2008
Another hillwalk 'above the Broom' [May 2008]. On the east shore of Loch Broom, Ullapool was founded in 1788 as a herring port by the British Fisheries Society - and was designed by Thomas Telford. The harbour is still perhaps the focal point of the town and is used as a fishing port, yachting haven, and ferry port. Ferries sail to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides. Many of the pivotal discoveries of the Victorian era that contributed to the development of the concept of plate tectonics were made in this area, and there are still regular international geological conferences! Others, of course, visit here for the scenery, hillwalking and the Seaforth, FBI and the Arch!!! Not to mention those amazing breakfasts in the local cafe!
Ullapool is surrounded us on all four sides by mountains and contains some of the most beautiful unspoiled scenery in the world with undiscovered beaches, forests, hidden glens with stags grazing, waterfalls, bird sanctuaries to explore, breathtaking twisty single track roads, all warmed by the gulf stream that gives it the tropical garden look with the comparably mild weather. It really has its own micro-climate. Boat trips depart to the enchanting Summer Isles as does a power boat trip that is highly recommended [watch the other video - Seascape adventure]; see seals and porpoises or marvel at the botanists miracle of Hydroponics in Achiltibuie.
The Fellowship Vid 4 (The Whole Fellowship)
The final vid in this seares
MUNROS: ULLAPOOL - THE pictured FANNAICHS.
The Fannaichs to the Mohican sountrack of (1) White Bufallo (2) Last of the Mohicans [techno ver.] & (3) Tatanka. Anr marvellous trip to Ullapool eh Al? On the east shore of Loch Broom, Ullapool was founded in 1788 as a herring port by the British Fisheries Society - and was designed by Thomas Telford. The harbour is still perhaps the focal point of the town and is used as a fishing port, yachting haven, and ferry port. Ferries, as in this video, sail to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides.
Many of the pivotal discoveries of the Victorian era that contributed to the development of the concept of plate tectonics were made in this area, and there are still regular international geological conferences! Others, of course, visit here for the scenery, hillwalking and the Seaforth, FBI and the Arch!!! Not to mention those amazing breakfasts in the local cafe!
Ullapool is surrounded us on all four sides by mountains and contains some of the most beautiful unspoiled scenery in the world with undiscovered beaches, forests, hidden glens with stags grazing, waterfalls, bird sanctuaries to explore, breathtaking twisty single track roads, all warmed by the gulf stream that gives it the tropical garden look with the comparably mild weather. It really has its own micro-climate. Boat trips depart to the enchanting Summer Isles as does a power boat trip that is highly recommended [watch the other video - Seascape adventure]; see seals and porpoises or marvel at the botanists miracle of Hydroponics in Achiltibuie.
Dive Summer Isles including the Fairweather V
A weekend trip to dive the Summer Isles, Little Loch Broom and Fairweather V
ULLAPOOL: trip to the BONE CAVES [2010]. Advert free Video!
Them bones. 'Bones, caves and bleak lands' is what it states on the signpost and thats exactly what is here. You may find it hard to imagine that Polar Bears once lived here in Scotland but on this bitterly cold, bleak, snow-showery 'summer' day it certainly wasn't too difficult to imagine! The Bone Caves have been designated as an Ancient Monument by Historic Scotland and also as a Site of Scientific Interest by Scottish National Heritage and only requires a short hillwalk to reach them.
This is the route to the 815m Corbett BREABAG meaning 'little height' while looking back reveals the view of the 847m Corbett CANISP meaning 'white hill'. An engraved stone on the path at a junction indicates the route to the mountain and for us on this trip anyway the route to those caves. I've never seen a road sign used on a mountain path before so the 'falling rocks' sign on the hillside path must be at least somewhat perhaps unique.
These amazing caves have been named Fox's Den, Bone Cave, Reindeer Cave and Badger Cave and it was during a 1925 visit by geologist J.E.Cree that the incisor tooth of a bear and two pieces of reindeer antler were found. The following year Badger Cave and Reindeer Cave were excavated and more items were found. Nearly 1000 fragments of reindeer antler have been found some of which date back to over 47000 years.
So, Arctic Fox, Polar Bears and Northern Lynx as well as many other animals have left their mark up in these Bone Caves in this Inchnadamph National Nature Reserve. On this occasion though it was our turn to shiver in them. The actual Reserve itself was previously a resting place for cattle during the drives to market in Falkirk. The four north-facing caves look out from the base of the limestone Creag nan Uamh over the Allt nan Uamh glen. At the head of this glen, would-be Corbeteers will encounter the ancient calving grounds of the reindeer on the slopes of BREABAG.
Reindeer Cave and Bone Cave are connected by a narrow passage that children can apparently negotiate! The most interesting find in the cave really has to be the discovery in 1927 of a Polar Bear cranium aged at around 18,855 years old! There is no evidence to suggest that people ever lived in the caves although they may have been used on hunting trips; the caves have been mainly inhabited by animals. The Polar Bear skull and some reindeer antlers are on permanent display in the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
At a car-park some 5km north of Ledmore on the A837 a path departs passing some small Falls before following the steep and winding path to the Bone Caves where you are treading in the footsteps of some of our best known explorers. It is said of Ben Peach that, when working in the Northwest, he would work long hours and then take every third day off and go fishing. So they obviously took sickies in the old days as well then. Anyway, he may not have had much luck because there are no lochs up the glen of Allt nan Uamh, and not much in the way of rivers either, but world-famous geologists Peach and Horne found something just as rewarding. While surveying the geology of the area, they came across the Creag nan Uamh Bone Caves and in 1889 they partially excavated the mouth of one of them and found pieces of animal bones. Peach and Horne found the remains of animals that incredibly once roamed the Scottish Highlands including Lynx, Polar Bear, Arctic fox and Lemmings.
The Moine Thrust runs through the area and the nearby Inchnadamph Hotel is apparently still a mecca for geologists. Its a pity that the Public Bar doesn't appear to be open to the Public now although I can remember sitting in the bar here many years ago after having just climbed Conival and Ben More Assynt. Nearby there is a monument on the other side of the road to the work of Ben Peach and John Horne whose work was so crucial in the understanding of this, the first thrust fault to be discovered anywhere in the world. The monument's inscription reads: To Ben N Peach and John Horne who played the foremost part in unravelling the geological structure of the North West Highlands 1883-1897. An international tribute. Erected 1980. The hotel retains a copy of the guest book signed by many prominent geologists of the day who visited during the 1912 British Association for the Advancement of Science excursion to Assynt.
Well, this certainly was a fascinating hike to the caves where the remains of the last known wild Polar Bear to live in Britain were discovered.
Day 2: Applecross to Ullapool - North Coast 500
Day 2 of our road trip around the North of Scotland completing the North Coast 500. What an experience. If you have a spare week I would highly recommend it. Enjoy!
Ullapool and District Junior Pipeband
Ullapool and District Junior Pipeband Play thier final set at Loopallu 2008. Tunes are Scotland the Brave and Cabar Feidh
Munros - GAIRICH
(Theres an advertisement-free version of this video now posted. The advertisements that appear on this version are enforced by YouTube). Beyond the Tomdoun Sporting Lodge in Glen Garry the single track former Drovers road to Kinlochhourn heads towards the dam at Loch Quoich where a small parking area denotes the commencement of this route to the 919m Munro, Gairich from the Gaelic 'roaring'.
The rock fill Quoich Dam stands at a height of 126ft and is 300ft wide at its base with a 1050ft span across to the path.
From the south end of the dam the path begins and quickly disappears in the bog and marsh before re-appearing and leading to a gate and style at the forest's edge.
A change of direction onto the path that heads up Druim na Geid Salaich eventually zig-zags via a rock-step towards the large summit cairn and views over Loch Quoich, Glen Kingie and much more.
From the 1907 writings of A.R.Hope Moncrieff he recalls a royal visit to this area described in the Scotsman thus: If there is in Scotland a grander view than can be seen from Loch Quoich on an autumn evening, the writer does not know it. The fairy land of the Celt was on 'seven bens and seven glens and seven mountain moors' but the moors and bens and glens around Glenquoich fall to be numbered by the hundreds, and not by sevens. Sheer from the water edge rise the mountains, green at their base, flecked with heather along their sides, ridge upon ridge, peak upon peak, overwhelming the mind with a feeling of that Omnipotence which weigheth the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance, before whom men are altogether vanity. West from the lodge the loch bends slightly towards the south and narrowing as it recedes, it stretches out towards the setting sun, pushing a tapering finger among the roots of the giant hills; and the farther west it goes, the higher rise the enveloping mountains. And the wonderful autumn sunsets of the west flush them all - Sguir a'Mhoraire [see also Sgurr a'Mhauraich video] Sguir a'Shlaidhemh, Sguir Gairoch, Meall a'Choire Bhuidh - till their splintered peaks and pinnacled heads glow and glitter in amethyst and gold, while their sides gleam with a hundred polished silver shields, and the stray clouds, sailing inward from the western sea, glide high over their crests, swimming in glory. And the light still radient above, falls in the corries below, covering the slopes with a deep, deep blue, such a blue as one sees only in the west when a mountain comes athwart the setting sun. When evening is still (and often the wind that rustles during the day sinks at eve into a calm), the face of the loch is a sheet of glass, and deep in its translucent depths. The mountain crests and the transfigured clouds melt into one another, trembling in the ectasy of mingling, till the whole face of the loch is a veil through which there glows a kaleidoscope of radiant colours, darting hither and thither as if greeting and embracing one another.
Once back at the dam, the single track road to the farm accommodation at Kinlochhourn is an impressive journey - albeit more so for passengers. [May 2008].
Soundtrack (1) Clannad (2) Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
Sophie Bancroft & Tom Lyne Tuesday Night Medicine Show Ullapool July 15 2014
Scottish Jazz Royalty Sophie Bancroft and Tom Lyne, visit our Tuesday Night Medicine Show at The Argyll Hotel Ullapool
Kilt
The Royal Scot Dragoon Guards came to San Rafael and I had a chance to meet them and get a personal lesson from the pipe major