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Saturday, 28 July 2012

Ullapool photos Part 3



While I was in Ullapool I took a trips on the "Summer Queen" out to the Summer Isles. The sea was flat calm, it was fairly warm, with the odd shower of rain, but also SUNSHINE!  Above is Loch Broom, a sea loch which leads out to the Summer Isles and beyond. I'd definitely recommend a trip on the Summer Queen. The commentary is excellent, giving information on the landscape, history and wild life. We saw porpoises, red-throated divers (we have them in Orkney but I'd never seen them!), gannets diving, as well as seals, gulls of all varieties, fulmars and guillemots and and three specs I was reliably informed were sea eagles!  Here are some shots of the landscape - my camera wasn't up to taking photos of the wildlife! (If you click on one then you can see them in a photo-stream a bit bigger).







Right - the ferry on it's way to the Western Isles







A sea arch in Loch Broom













The hamlet of Polbain strung out along the hills












The Summer Isles Cafe & Post Office on the island of Tanera. The last independent post office in the UK! You can buy a stamp here to post a letter to the surrounding mainland, but any further afield you need a regular Royal Mail postage stamp. The boat stops with enough time for tea, coffee and cake here, or a quick walk along the shore or up the hill. Needless to say I opted for tea and cake!






I love the bright colours of these upturned canoes against the heather.










The "Summer Queen" moored in Tanera bay.











Mountains down to the shore














How about this for an isolated house!












The Rhue lighthouse - I seem to end up next to lighthouses...our holiday cottage was in this hamlet.









Coming back into Ullapool now. It's clear to see the effects of crofting on the field boundaries here. During the clearances when the highland crofters were forced to move to the coast, some ended in Ullapool and were given strips of land. First they had to pull the stones and boulders out - these made the fine stone walls bordering the strips. Then they had to work the fairly poor soil. The croft could only sustain one family, the eldest son would inherit and the rest of the family would have to leave and make their own way in the world. Many went overseas to New Zealand, the US and Canada.

Later we took a drive out of Ullapool - you can clearly see the heather and rough terrain. Beautiful to look at - not easy to walk on!!



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14 comments:

  1. Mary Z28 July 2012 at 20:37

    Sounds like a wonderful trip. We enjoy getting to explore our own country, as well as others. Too many people don't know enough about their own home.

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    1. Sian29 July 2012 at 22:04

      There are so many "corners" of the UK I have yet to visit. It's lovely discovering new places on the doorstep so to speak!

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  2. Sharon28 July 2012 at 21:56

    Gorgeous pictures :)

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  3. VioletSky29 July 2012 at 00:29

    I have so enjoyed your little travelogue of Ullapool. I have fond memories of visiting there many years ago.

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    1. Sian29 July 2012 at 22:05

      Glad you enjoyred "revisiting". It is a lovely spot.

      Delete
  4. Kathy29 July 2012 at 11:16

    Your holiday photos are lovely, Sian. This is such a beautiful area - the first we visited when we got our little campervan. :-)

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    1. Sian29 July 2012 at 22:05

      It is lovely isn't it. It's my second visit and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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  5. Bonnie29 July 2012 at 18:46

    I really enjoy looking at the scenery. Thanks for sharing. Such beauty.

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    1. Sian29 July 2012 at 22:06

      Thanks Bonnie. Glad you enjoyed the photos. The scenery is so different to the part of Scotland I live in, that it's lovely to give a contrast.

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  6. Caroline Gill29 July 2012 at 20:18

    We also greatly enjoyed our trip to the Summer Isles (last year) ... and seeing the seals and butterflies.

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    1. Sian29 July 2012 at 22:07

      It's well worth a trip on the boat isn't it. Lots of wildlife to see as well as the scenery too.

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  7. Sybil2 August 2012 at 16:57

    Thanks for letting me tag along on your holiday. The scenery is glorious.

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  8. the running wave2 August 2012 at 18:12

    Very envious of your trip to the Summer Isles! I've been trying to get there for years! We are great lovers of the west coast of Scotland. It's so different from our east coast which we love too of course! Great beaches.
    Always checking out your blog and have done for years. I really enjoy reading about your life on Graemesay! I have a blog too now - it's people like you who inspired me to start one myself and I love it! Thank you!
    Best wishes from therunningwave.blogspot.co.uk

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