This summer may have been a miserable one so far, but there are some serene spots in the UK to visit come rain or shine. Ullapool, which lies in the Scottish highlands, has been named by travel experts as the mot beautiful village in the whole of the UK, and it certainly lives up to the esteemed reputation.
The Highland, which attracts tourists from across the globe, are spilling with nothing short of storybook beauty, and are perfect for a scenic road trip. One of the most popular things to do on visits to Scotland is braving the North Coast 500, a 516-mile route around the north coast of Scotland, that starts and ends at the infamous Inverness Castle.
The route takes avid drivers through incredible mountains and long winding roads that have starred in a number of TV shows and movies, and was voted as the UK’s most beautiful road. Whilst on the NC500, one of the most popular stop off spots is Ullapool, a chocolate box village perfect to stay for a while.
Ullapool was given the title by the Conde Nast Traveler, who described the village in all its glory: “With its jangling fishing boats and the imposing Caledonian MacBrayne ferry waiting to take passengers to the Outer Hebrides, there’s an air of activity in Ullapool. But allow yourself to stay put for a while, sitting on the wall in front of the white seafront cottages, and soak up the Highland buzz.
“Make a beeline for The Seafood Shack for lunch (try the crispy lobster burger with guacamole and lemon sour cream), before stopping by The Ceilidh Place opposite to check out its upcoming line-up of local musicians.”
Unfortunately, Ullapool is not accessible via public transport due to how remote the village is, but it is easy enough to get to via car from Inverness. You can take the A835, which is part of the NC500 route, and has all of the views.
For history buffs, Ullapool is the perfect visit. The rich Scottish culture is clear in the small village, which was founded in 1788 as a herring port by the British Fisheries Society.
The village was designed by Thomas Telford, one of the most famous civil engineers in teh world who aslo designed the Broomielaw Bridge in Gasgow and the Caledonian Canal just down the road in Inverness.
Through his innovative projects, Telford revitalised UK transport. Many of the architectural structures of the 18th century remain, and you will be able to spot historical houses that date back hundreds of years when you stroll through the quaint streets.